Shake
by Br00keSc0tt
Summary: Takes place right after the season 3 finale! Lots of drama! Definitely a HUGE Brooke and Lucas fic as always! If you liked my other stories you'll LOVE this one! Please R
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! Sorry its taken me so long to get this story up! LA was a lot more hectic than I thought it would be and I didnt even turn on my laptop the entire time I was there. But now that I'm home I should have a little more free time for now and be able to update really often! I hope you like this story. It takes place right after the finale and will explain itself as it reads! Enjoy!

"'Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.' When life gets hard, when things change, true love remains the same."

Brooke Davis sat alone in her car re-playing that piece of her speech in her head over and over. She'd spent so much time trying to come up with it, in fact, the whole time Lucas had been gone, it had been her mission to beat him to it. At the time it had made so much since, and made her feel so good. Everything was finally getting back to normal. She had her love for her clothes which kept her busy, she had her best friend Peyton, who she thought she could trust over anyone else, and of course her love for her best boyfriend, Lucas. He was after all why she chosen that quote. Just a week ago everything had seemed so perfect. She and Peyton were still friends, she was busy designing and sewing, she and Lucas were better than ever, and she definitely wasn't late. Ok maybe she had been a little late a week ago, but not this late. The thought of everything made her stomach buckle. Why did this always happen to her? And why did it all have to happen at once? Yesterday she had had a place to live, a ready box of tampons, a best friend who didn't want her boyfriend… and a boyfriend who hadn't kissed her best friend again, at least that she had known of. Now she was sitting there in her car without a place to stay, a pregnancy test, no best friend, and a boyfriend who was god only knew where. Probably making out with her former best friend. Life hadn't been this bad since last year at this time when, well the exact same thing was happening…

Lucas drove towards the bridge where Nathan had said to meet them in silence. He had way too much on his mind to even try to talk to his mom about it. Then again, she didn't seem so chatty herself. So they both just sat there as Lucas drove, listening to the CD Brooke had made Lucas for his trip. Usually Brooke wasn't the CD maker, Peyton was… and the CD really wasn't that great, it had a lot of Brookeish songs on there that he really didn't like that much, at least he hadn't at first. But after spending his entire trip listening to the songs over and over just because it reminded him of her, some of the songs had grown on him. Especially The Fray song "She Is". He listened as the lyrics repeated, _"She is everything I need that I never knew I wanted. She is everything I want that I never knew I needed" _If there were ever words to describe how he felt about Brooke Davis, these were definitely it. Just a little more than a year and ½ ago he hadn't been anything more in his mind than Peyton's annoying, kinda slutty best friend. And now he wasn't sure how he'd ever gotten on without her. The way she smiled when he kissed her cheek, or lectured him on the importance of things like sex and chocolate… sometimes together. She wasn't like most girls, girls like Peyton and Haley who weren't themselves around their boyfriends. Brooke made every thought that came through her head known to him, and wouldn't let him get away with anything, and that's what made him love her so much.

"Maybe its not Brooke's purse" Karen sighed hoping she was right. Haley and Rachel were both missing their purses too after all, and Brooke didn't seem like the type to carry things like pregnancy tests around with her.

"Maybe"

"I thought we'd talked about this Lucas"

"Mom, please don't" Lucas said running his fingers though his spiky hair. He was nervous and scared enough as it was without Karen lecturing him about sex and pregnancy scares. He and Brooke had been there before…

"You're 17 Lucas, we just did this a year ago! Didn't you learn anything? Didn't Brooke learn anything?"

"Didn't you?"

"Don't turn this around Lucas! I am 36 years old… I was engaged! I loved Keith! You're 17!" Karen said raising her voice louder and louder with every word. Lucas didn't know what to think. It actually pissed him of. Of course she loved Keith, but it wasn't because she was 36. He guessed she would have loved him the same at 17, the way he loved Brooke.

"So because I'm 17 I can't love Brooke! Didn't we just go to a wedding where you were talking about how great it was Nathan and Haley had that? They're 17"

"You can love Brooke until your heart breaks but that isn't going to make raising a baby any easier."

"How do you know she's even pregnant?"

"You're right, I don't… get out" Karen sighed making Lucas stop the car. She wasn't going to argue about things she wasn't even sure about anymore. Lucas was going to get out and talk to Brooke, find out everything for sure.

"What?"

"Get out, go find her and talk to her, I'll take Nathan and Haley the stuff"

"We're…" Lucas started but Karen cut him off.

"10 blocks from home, now go"

Lucas watched as his mom drove off, leaving him there with nothing but his phone. 10 blocks was a long way to walk. Apparently she had forgotten about his heart condition, and it wasn't like he could call anyone to pick him up. Nathan and Haley were leaving; he definitely wasn't risking talking to Peyton again until he talked to Brooke, and he had no idea where Brooke even was…

Brooke laid back on the picnic table by the rivercourt. Her idea of sleeping out here probably hadn't been the best, but it wasn't like she had anywhere else to go. It was so weird being out there without Lucas, and alone. But it wasn't a bad weird, more like a peaceful weird. It gave her peace and quiet to think and clear her find. She'd been so upset after everything that she hadn't had time to stop and think things through. Worst case, She was pregnant, Lucas decided to get with Peyton and she ended up like Karen. Best case, she wasn't pregnant, Lucas came and swept her off her feet and Peyton died in a freak hair dying accident. Perfect. Just as she was starting to giggle a little bit at her cleverness she heard something like footsteps, and then saw someone walking towards her.

"God… Brooke what are you doing here?" Peyton gasped. She had been looking for Lucas, not Brooke.

"I could ask you the same thing"

"I saw Lucas's car"

"Right… so you came out here to whine to him about what a bitch Brooke is?" Brooke asked rolling her eyes at her former best friend. That figured, Brooke hadn't planned on using Lucas's car to torture Peyton, but if it worked…

"Actually yea"

"Whatever, I was leaving anyway"

"Brooke" Peyton yelled stopping Brooke. She wasn't playing nice anymore. If Brooke wanted to fight then Peyton was going to fight.

"What!"

"I tried being nice, I did, but now I'm going to try that honesty thing you seem to like so much. You're a bitch Brooke! Did you ever think that maybe there are other people in this world with problems? Or feelings?"

"Feelings? Problems? Don't you even! I did nothing but be there for the 2 of you with you're problems and feelings. I ignored everything to make sure I was there for you when Ellie died! And when Keith died, I gave Lucas the space he needed. Why? Because I loved you! And I love him!" Brooke yelled fighting off the tears. Why was this so hard for her tonight? Couldn't she get any peace just to think without having to yell at someone right in the middle of it?

"Like I wasn't there Brooke? I was there for him too last time I checked"

"Really? Were you there when he cried in my chest for an hour Peyton? Then yelled at me because I didn't know anything about it? Were you there to hold his hand the first time he went to Keith's grave and collapsed crying? Where you the one he asked why this happened over and over and expected a answer?"

"Brooke" Peyton said slowly gritting her teeth. Of course she hadn't been there, she would have liked too but Brooke had made damn sure that she was the one to take care of Lucas…

"Were you alone when you realized you were late, and hadn't talked to your boyfriend in 5 days! Then had to find out that he had kissed your best friend again? And that she had feelings for him!"

"Brooke"

"No… you weren't so until you can compare with what I have been through the past couple weeks, don't even try with your pathetic stories about how I'm so conceded!" Brooke screamed slamming the car door. She sure as hell wasn't doing this tonight, not again.

Lucas had spent the past hour looking for Brooke in all her usual places, the mall, Nathan and Haley's, downtown, anywhere he thought she might have gone. He thought about calling Peyton to see if she'd seen her, but then decided against it. He didn't want to do anything that might make Brooke worry about more then she already was. He'd just have to keep looking on his own, or else wait at home until she finally called. His house was dark when he finally pulled up, which meant his mom wasn't home yet. That kind of worried him, but then she did have a lot of her mind too. She'd probably gone out with Deb or something to talk. At least he hoped she had. He walked towards his bedroom, not bothering with the lights, he was just going to fall into bed anyway…

"Ow" Lucas heard Brooke groan as he practically fell on top of her. He hadn't expected her to be in his bed and she had scared him to death.

"God, I do have a heart condition you know. I've been looking for you for an hour"

"I've been here"

"Sleep walking?" Lucas asked getting comfortable beside her. She looked so young lying there beside him. He could see what he thought were tearstains on her cheeks from the light coming off the streetlight outside. She looked so pretty as she laid her head on his chest, letting her curls hang in her face, taking his hand into hers.

"Turns out my pajamas don't actually accidentally fall off like planned"

"You ok?"

"Just tired… I kinda yelled at Peyton about 10 times today, and arguing with her is exhausting" Brooke let out a long sigh as she played with his nails. She didn't really want to go into details right now, but she had a feeling Lucas was definitely going to have some questions.

"Brooke… if she didn't tell you about the kiss then how'd"

"You love me right?" Brooke whispered sliding up towards him so their noses touched as they talked. As she asked him the question, he gave her a smile that almost broke her heart. It was so genuine and sweet… and true, that she hated to have to ruin it with everything she had to tell him tonight.

"So much it hurts sometimes"

"What if Mouth told you he was in love with me too"

"I'd kick his ass" Lucas laughed, but Brooke could tell there was some seriousness underneath it, which was good. She liked to know that he got jealous just the same as she did.

"But he's you're best friend"

"You're my girl…" Lucas whispered giving her a short sweet kiss, and then he brushed all the hair out of her face. They both just laid there for a minute, as close as they could possibly be without their lips actually touching, with Lucas's arms around her waist and hers around his neck.

"It doesn't matter that he's your best friend?"

"What? Did he say something to you? He told me he liked you once and it took all I had not to kill him then, and that was before I even knew I was in love with you"

"No, Lucas are you not getting this?" Brooke laughed, kind of frustrated that she had to explain this further. She was hoping he would just get it and move on.

"Getting what?"

"Peyton told me last night she has feelings for you"

"Right, I get it now" Lucas sighed, in a much more serious tone. That definitely explained a lot about how they were both acting.

"She just went on and on asking me if I loved you and trying to twist my words around. I don't want to relive last year Lucas"

"Remember what I told you before you left last summer?"

"I talked to myself?" Brooke asked not seeing the point of this at all. He wasn't supposed to be bringing up last summer with the Peyton box and all. He was supposed to be telling her how much he loved her and not Peyton…

"That if I ever got a second chance I'd never let you go again. I meant that"

"Peyton told me she wouldn't make out with you this time too, and she said she meant that"

"In Peyton's defense…" Lucas started, and then regretted his choice of words as Brooke sat up and started to yell.

"Lucas!"

"Just listen, in Peyton's defense. You can't help who you love Brooke, like I can't help that I'm in love with you. Believe me I tired long enough not to be, and it doesn't work like that"

"I know…" Brooke sighed laying back down. She didn't like knowing, but Lucas was right. She hadn't asked to love Lucas like this again. She'd actually spent a good amount of time trying to hate him last year, but now she loved him somehow more than she had in the first place.

"I'm glad that I can't help that I love you"

"Me too"

"Good" Lucas whispered grabbing Brooke's waist and pulling her towards him until their lips met. He needed to kiss her, really kiss her one last time before everything got too complicated. Brooke wrapped her arms around Lucas's neck and made their kiss harder, more passionate. They were so close Lucas felt a tear slide from her cheek to his. He ran his fingers through Brooke's soft curls and finally pulled away. By now Brooke had more than a few tearstains on her cheeks and looked so scared… and young. He'd only ever seen her like this one other time, which made him guess that that probably was her purse.

"I have to tell you something" Brooke finally said after a few minutes of just laying there together. She really didn't want to ruin the moment and tell him this now, but she was guessing that it was too many of these moments that had gotten them into this situation in the first place.

"Brooke"

"I'm late, like really late"

"That was your test?" Lucas asked wiping a tear off her cheek with his thumb.

"What? I haven't bought a test. I didn't want to go without you, why? Did you want me too?"

"No, no I'll go with you. My mom and I just found a test in a purse. Wait, if it wasn't yours then"

"You think I'd carry a pregnancy test around in my purse?" Brooke asked trying to imagine who in their right mind would do something that stupid.

"That leaves Haley, Rachel or Peyton…"

"Its not Peyton, believe me she was definitely PMSing last week"

"I don't think its Haley. Rachel?" Lucas asked having narrowed it down.

"What! No! No. She doesn't get to have Hott Uncle Coopers Baby. NO! I have dibs! Of course I have to steal him away from his 2 wives Jordan and Abbey first but, I mean… I love you so much Lucas Scott"

"Jordan and Abbey?"

"Hottless Cheerleading friends you've never met, and never will, they're too hott" Brooke smiled, then realized how off subject they had gotten. Lucas definitely didn't need to hear about her hott cheerleading friends.

"Right. so, my moms pregnant too"

"Must be something in the water, don't look so nervous Luke. I'm probably just stressed ok?"

"Then why do you look so nervous?" Lucas asked seeing the sheer terror on Brooke's face. She couldn't hide it with her jokes about hottless Cheerleaders or Uncle Cooper…

"Maybe we should just go take a test?"

"Yea"

The drugstore was empty as usual. Brooke had that uneasy feeling in her stomach, the same kind she had had last time they had done this. All of this was off the stress charts for her, so much so that when she went to pick up one of the tests she could see her hand quivering. For a split second she thought she was going to start crying again, she guessed Lucas noticed because not long after he wrapped his arm around her and kissed the side of her head. It had been hard last year, going through this after everything that had happened, and not being with Lucas. But somehow it seemed even harder this time. Last time her mind had been clouded by rage. She had hoped she was pregnant just to ruin Lucas's life, so either way, she had told herself she wouldn't care. But now, she wanted more than anything for that test to be negative. Almost more for Lucas's sake than hers. If she were pregnant it would put them almost the exact same age Karen and Dan had been.

Just as Brooke went to grab another test, figuring she should get two, so they could be doubly sure. She heard a familiar voice and shoved both boxes back to their places. It was Mouth. He was still dressed in his tux and everything carrying enough beef jerky to last him a while.

"Hey, what are you 2 doing here?" Mouth asked giving them both a smile. The same smile he always gave them that almost broke Brooke's heart. He was clearly in love with her, luckily Lucas was completely oblivious to it. One thing was clear, neither Brooke nor Lucas were ready to tell Mouth the real reason why they were there, so as usual Brooke had to be creative.

"Oh…you know, Tree Hill's practically a condom commercial, Lucas I am sorry but we are getting the pleasure kind for women this time, you've had you're fun. 10 pack or should be go for broke with the 50?"

"Um… 50?"

"Naughty, I like it, why don't you go grab some fun condiments?" Brooke smiled her most seductive smile, then gave Lucas a sexy wink. It had to be believable, not that she didn't want to jump Lucas at that moment. He looked so hott standing there, but sex was definitely the last thing either of them needed to have on their minds.

"Sure?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean too…"

"Come on Mouth, when have Lucas and I ever been shy about sex?" Brooke giggled. That was the truth. Again, probably another reason why they were here buying pregnancy tests. The more she thought about it the more this seemed like some sick joke, having to flash the box of condoms around like payback for forgetting them a few times.

"Right, glad to see you and Lucas are ok?"

"We have to fight a little to keep it interesting. Nothing's better than make up sex"

"Ok…" Lucas sighed rejoining them with a bottle of Catsup and Chocolate syrup. He really hadn't been looking for believable, although he had checked for whipped cream before coming back.

"Right, well I'll see you guys later?"

"Sure… bye"

"Catsup and Chocolate syrup?" Brooke giggled shaking her head at Lucas. He was such the typical guy sometimes that she couldn't help but laugh at him.

"They were out of whipped cream, ok he's gone"

"Lets just go get this over with"

Karen still wasn't home by the time Lucas and Brooke got back to the house, but he was kind of glad. She didn't need to be there for this… no one did. Lucas waited on his bed while Brooke went into the bathroom. It seemed like forever before she finally came out and laid down beside him. It seemed like this was going to be the longest couple minutes of both their lives. They just laid there, in complete silence until Lucas's cell phone went off… he debated answering it until he saw it was his mom. The worry that something may have happened to her made him decide to answer it.

"Who is it?"

"My mom…Hello?"

"Can you call her back?"

"Its Rachel, Cooper and Nathan… they've been in an accident"


	2. Chapter 2

I'm so glad you guys like this story! Thank you so much for all the reviews! Here's chapter 2!

Lucas drove towards the hospital with Brooke in the passenger seat. All he could think about was Haley. His mom hadn't said anything about Haley and she was after all in the car with Nathan. Which made him wonder what Rachel and Cooper had to do with this? They weren't even at the reception after they made their speeches. Lucas looked over at Brooke who was being unusually quiet as she stared out the window. She looked really tired. It was getting late, in fact it was after midnight and from the way she had been talking he guessed she hadn't been getting much sleep lately. Plus it was definitely weighing on them both the fact that they had left 2 pregnancy tests sitting on the bathroom counter, and left before looking at them.

"There's no where to park at this damn hospital, you want me to drop you off out front?" Lucas asked not wanting to make Brooke have to walk ½ a mile to the lobby. She looked too exhausted to sit, much less drag herself all the way across the parking lot in the cold.

"I can walk with you"

"My moms going to meet us in the lobby, we might be here a while"

"Hey… its gonna be ok" Brooke said grabbing Lucas's hands in hers. He'd been though so much lately, and now with everything going on tonight, this was the last thing he needed.

"I'm glad its you that's with me"

"Because I'm so good in crisis's"

"You make me feel better…you're shivering, here" Lucas whispered pulling his sweatshirt over his head to give to Brooke. He hadn't given her time to grab anything after his mom called, and now he could see the chill bumps forming on her arms and chest.

Karen was waiting in a chair in the lobby along with Haley, Deb, Dan, Mouth, and Peyton. Lucas was really relived to see that Haley was all right, but she looked so worried sitting there in between Deb and Karen. So did Deb, they were almost as pale as Brooke was. Peyton was sitting a few chairs down beside Mouth. He saw her expression noticeably turn from calm and cool, to completely pissed off when she saw Lucas walk in holding Brooke's hand, and Brooke in his sweatshirt. Lucas also noticed the look wasn't meant for him, but more for Brooke, and it made him wonder how long she'd been giving Brooke looks like that. He'd just been too distracted to notice.

"Thank god you guys are here…" Haley cried hugging both Brooke and Lucas tight into her arms. She was still in her wedding dress, with her hair down and stringy.

"What happened?"

"Cooper and Rachel went off the bridge and Nathan went in after him"

"Are they ok?" Lucas asked, he couldn't tell from the way Haley was talking, actually he could barely understand her, and no one else was volunteering any information.

"Cooper's critical, Rachel's stable, Nathan's in surgery, he tore up his arm trying to get them out… Brooke he was blue"

"Haley, I'm so sorry sweetie, we're here ok?" Brooke whispered giving Haley another hug. She looked so scared and shaky. Brooke remembered that feeling well. After Lucas had had his accident last year she hadn't known what to do with herself.

After calming Haley down some, Lucas decided Brooke looked a little too pale for his taste and found them a place to sit on the couch by Karen, and way across from Peyton so not to stress Brooke out. Time was passing so slow… before long Brooke was asleep in his lap, and Lucas found himself trying to keep his eyes open himself. Peyton was clearly awake though, he caught her every once in a while shooting him a look or 2. She probably thought he had Brooke there, asleep in his lap, wearing his sweatshirt to torture her. But really he was just worried about Brooke. And he actually felt sorry for Peyton kind of, normally he would have talked to her about it, but this time Brooke came first, which was ok with him too. She definitely deserved it after everything that had gone on lately, and after imagining what life would have been like if he had gotten together with Peyton, he was so glad that it was Brooke asleep in his lap and wearing his sweatshirt.

"Did you have time to talk to Brooke? Was it her purse?" Karen whispered hoping for a good answer. She had asked Haley about the purse earlier, and after being shocked Haley had admitted that it hadn't been hers… so that left Brooke and Rachel.

"It wasn't hers"

"Thank god"

"Don't get too excited" Lucas sighed looking down at Brooke who was completely out of it. He wasn't looking forward to telling Karen this next part… at all. Her reaction last time to this news hadn't been good. She'd actually slapped him, but he wash hoping since they were in a public place and she knew there was a chance this time, that things might go a little smoother.

"What…"

"She's late"

"Did you take a test?" Karen asked letting out a long sigh. She had guessed from Brooke's reactions all day that something like that was definitely going on, but he had really been hoping that maybe it was all just Brooke feeling stressed out from too much wedding prep.

"Kinda in the middle of that when you called"

"How is she?"

"She says she's ok" Lucas said, brushing a few stray curls out of Brooke's face. _She _said she was ok, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to believe that. He wasn't sure if she'd actually tell him if she weren't, especially right now.

"What do you say?"

"I should have been here, or at least called her… I keep screwing up and she keeps forgiving me, and I couldn't even find the time to just call her. I've put her through hell the past month and she's been there every time I needed her, and the one time she needed me… I didn't even call her back"

"We learn from our mistakes Lucas" Karen sighed putting her hand on her sons shoulder. She didn't know what else to do…

"If it makes you feel any better, she told me she didn't even miss you that much" Peyton ½ laughed, apparently having caught the tale end of what Lucas was saying as she walked back to her seat. Lucas was shocked Peyton would even say something like that about Brooke to anyone, much less to him.

"What Brooke were you talking too? Because the one I found crying alone in the bathroom 3 times, definitely missed him"

"Or she missed the sex"

"Not here Peyton" Karen snapped, sensing Peyton was out for trouble. She too had seen the jealous looks Peyton had been giving Lucas and Brooke all night. The more Karen thought about it… pregnant or not she was glad it was Brooke Lucas was with and not Peyton, even though Brooke was crazy, and slightly irresponsible… that was who Lucas had wanted… and he was happy.

It was pretty quiet for a while after that. Lucas was in and out of sleep, hearing bits and pieces of people's conversations. Deb telling Karen how she and Cooper were then they were kids, Mouth telling Peyton about how he'd finally gotten over Erica, Dan adding some smart comment in every once in a while. After that Lucas didn't hear anything until he Brooke move from his lap to his shoulder and take his hand in hers.

"Go back to sleep, I'm just stretching" Lucas heard Brooke whisper, then he was out.

Brooke laid her head against Lucas's shoulder for a little while, until she couldn't sit anymore. Her legs were starting to cramp up and her neck was getting stiff. Everyone else was either asleep, or almost asleep… except Karen. She was sitting in the chair beside Lucas knitting what Brooke guessed was maybe a blanket or something. She seemed so concentrated on what she was doing that she didn't notice Brooke staring for a few minutes.

"Have you ever tried knitting?" Karen asked, catching Brooke staring at her in a tired daze.

"Nope… just sewing, and I didn't even like that until this year"

"Before I had Lucas, I decided that I wasn't going to spend any money on him clothes… just yarn to knit him things to wear, of course that lasted until about a week before he was born and I realized I only had him 2 little sweaters and some booties"

"What about for this baby?" Brooke smiled. She could tell Karen was still hurting by the way she looked at her. Brooke couldn't begin to imagine what she was going through… this would be twice that Karen would have a baby without a father.

"I'll start buying little things soon, with Lucas I was so un-prepared with everything… I even thought he was going to be a girl so I painted his room pink"

"Seriously?"

"Yea… it stayed pink until he was about 6 months old and Keith and I finally had time to re-paint it" Karen laughed for a second then stopped suddenly. Brooke could tell whatever she was thinking about was painful. She didn't mean to keep bringing these things up, but there was no way around it.

"Was he a hard baby?"

"I thought so at the time…I kept telling myself it was going to get easier as he got older, but the older he got the more I missed when he was a baby. When he needed me for everything and I was the biggest thing in his world… I remember the day he came home from school and I realized I wasn't anymore, he's found something else"

"A book?" Brooke giggled knowing how Lucas was with his books. Sometimes she wanted to burn them all when she felt like he wasn't giving her enough attention.

"No… it was about 5 months ago, it wasn't any big huge event or thing that happened… I just remember he walked into the café… you 2 were holding hands, you were giggling about something…and he gave you this look. The same look Keith used to give to me, and that's when I realized that I wasn't the most important thing in my sons world anymore… you were… you know that don't you Brooke? That you are?"

"He's all I have Karen, I know that sounds pathetic and needy and everything else… but it's the truth, but I don't know what scares me more… loosing him, or him staying with me for all the wrong reasons"

"You don't have to worry about either… he told" Karen felt so bad for Brooke…she wanted to just hug the girl and tell her everything was going to work out for her… that she would make it work out. She started to tell Brooke that she knew… that she might be pregnant, but the doctor came in and interrupted her.

"Excuse me…Is Cooper Lee's family here?"

"That's me…" Deb whispered sitting straight up in her chair. Everyone woke up at that point, including Lucas to listen to what the doctor had to say. Brooke and Lucas could both tell from the look on his face that it wasn't good news.

"I'm sorry ma'am… his injuries were too serious, he was under water for an extensive amount of time, and his body was deprived of oxygen for too long… we did everything we could, but we lost him"

"Oh god… no…"

"Nathan's out of surgery… we fixed his arm, we wont know if there was any damage to his brain until he wakes up…but things are looking good…" The doctor continued, this time speaking more to both Haley and Deb about Nathan's condition.

"And Rachel?"

"She's stable… does she have a family member present?"

"They're on their way" Mouth said, then the doctor nodded.

"I'll be back in about an hour… talk to the nurse if you need anything"

"Why don't you take Brooke back Lucas… its late, I'm going to stay here with Deb for a while… I'll call in the morning…Peyton, Mouth… you should go get some sleep too"

After telling Haley, Deb, Dan and Karen bye, Brooke and Lucas walked out together followed by Mouth and Peyton. They were all completely silent until getting outside in the cold air. None of them could believe what had happened. Especially Lucas, he couldn't stop thinking how it could have been any of them… It still could be, the way people he knew were dying in this town lately. He stopped once they got to his car. He hadn't realized at the time he had packed right beside Peyton. For a few seconds, no one moved… Mouth just stood there waiting for Peyton to unlock the doors, and Peyton was clearly waiting for Lucas or Brooke to say something to her. But Brooke and Lucas both had other things on their mind… more pressing things.

After stopping to get something to eat, Brooke and Lucas finally made it home around 4AM. Brooke was so tired Lucas practically had to carry her in. They both walked slowly from the kitchen where the threw away their food through the rest of the house until they got to Lucas's bedroom. Neither of them wanted to be the first one to look at the test… so for a few seconds they just sat there. Brooke thought about just waiting until morning… but then she figured they had waited long enough… it had to happen now.

"Come with me?" Brooke asked getting up off the bed. Lucas stood up after her, and they started to walk into the bathroom.

"Wait"

"What?"

"No matter what those test say, I love you ok?" Lucas asked brushing Brooke's stringy curls out of her eyes so he could see her face. Her eyes were already swollen with tears and she was shaking.

"I love you too" Brooke whispered, giving him a short, sweet kiss on the lips before pulling away. This was one of those moments, a moment where either way… they'd both look back on years from now and know that that's what it all changed. Changed for the better, changed for the worse… just changed in general. Neither Brooke nor Lucas really knew for sure what was sitting on the counter. But they were getting ready to find out.

Peyton pulled up into Mouth's driveway to let him out. The whole ride had been completely silent for the most part… mostly because they both had a lot on their minds. Peyton and Mouth really weren't that different actually. At least when it came to who they loved. Mouth had been in love with Brooke since the 9th grade when she had been his science lab partner…of course she hadn't actually done any of the lab… but he had had fun with her. For a long time he had told himself that as long as she was with Lucas, someone who would treat her right… he'd be ok with it, but lately he was having a harder time dealing with the fact that they were together. He could tell Peyton was too… secretly and selfishly he wished maybe Brooke and Lucas would have some huge fight, and he could comfort Brooke. Maybe she'd learn to see him less as a little brother and more as a boyfriend.

"It sucks doesn't it?" Peyton asked before Mouth had a chance to open his door. Mouth was Peyton's friend, but she had never really talked to him about this sort of thing. Brooke and Lucas mostly… they were both too busy pretending they were ok with them being together. But tonight… it was clear to both of them that they had had enough.

"As long as they're happy"

"You're too nice Mouth… Have Brooke or Lucas gone out of their way to make sure you were happy lately?"

"I" Mouth started… but he couldn't think of anything. Brooke and Lucas were never mean to him… in fact they were always overly nice to him, but neither had gone out of their way to make sure he was happy lately. Then… he hadn't gone out of his either.

"I didn't think so"

"They're good together"

"Why? What makes Brooke and Lucas so good together? Other than the fact they're both hott and have a lot of sex? They don't have anything in common" Peyton laughed shaking her head at Mouth. He was just as brainwashed as the rest of the world. 'They're good together' what did that even mean?

"They gave their hearts to each other"

"I gave my heart to a lot of guys… Nathan, Jake, Lucas… It isn't like you cant take it back Mouth… didn't you with Erica?"

"I guess… but I mean I don't think we were like Brooke and Lucas" Mouth said trying hard to defend Brooke and Lucas. They were after all still his friends, and he wasn't the type of person to talk mean about them, just because he was in love with Brooke.

"There's nothing different about you and Erica or even Zach and Zoe. Brooke and Lucas are the same, only they flaunt what they have. The good, and the bad"

"Right"

"I'm sorry Mouth… just ignore me, you caught me in the middle of a bad day…" Peyton sighed patting Mouth on the shoulder. This conversation hadn't exactly gone like she had wanted it too, but at least now she was sure Mouth was in love with Brooke, which was perfect.

"You and Lucas would make a great couple some day Peyton"

"You and Brooke too… I mean I'm sure she's not pregnant"

"What?" Mouth asked stopping dead in his tracks. That was one of his worst fears… he knew she and Lucas had had a pregnancy scare before, and she'd carried it around with her for a long time… but if she were really pregnant this time, everything would be ruined

"She mentioned something about Lucas forgetting to use protection a lot, she was really worried because she definitely didn't want her life ruined with a baby… she actually told me one time that she thought Lucas was trying to get her pregnant and she was really worried… and I know she's late… I just hope its stress and nothing else" Peyton smiled trying not to look too guilty. Brooke had never said anything about forgetting to use protection… in fact; Brooke rarely talked with Peyton about her and Lucas's sex life… so Peyton really had no idea what went on in that bedroom. But as long as Mouth thought there was something there to ruin _his_ Brooke's life… and get him mad at Lucas, then that was all she needed.

"Why would Lucas do something like that?"

"He's been different lately… lonely, I think she's just too scared to leave him alone, but I wouldn't worry about it, you're probably right, they gave their hearts to each other… I can't see Lucas doing something like that… she's probably just ranting about stuff, I'll see ya tomorrow?" Peyton asked, she could see the worry in Mouth's eyes… it actually made her feel kind of guilty… but if Brooke could play nasty, so could she.

"Sure"

Lucas followed Brooke into the bathroom, trying hard not to look at the counter before she did. He could feel her hand trembling inside his. His heart was pounding… for a second he wondered how bad this actually was for his heart… all this stress, and was thankful he was on his medicine for once. He looked at Brooke, she was staring back at him, almost as if she were waiting for him to give her permission to look at it. She looked so scared… and for the first time since he could remember, she actually looked her age. She looked so young, and it made him wonder if this was how it had been for his mom and Dan… After giving Brooke a look… she turned to look at the tests, and so did he.

"That doesn't mean anything Brooke…"

"Lucas… they're both positive" Brooke cried looking down at both the tests. She didn't understand how this could happen… they'd been so careful, extra careful if that was possible. She was on the pill, and they always had condoms… all of this seemed almost impossible.

"It was positive last time too"

"But not two"

"Still… these things aren't that accurate ok?" Lucas asked pulling Brooke into his chest. Neither of them were crying yet… he guessed it was probably still the shock of having them positive. After a few minutes on standing there, he finally felt Brooke tense up and start to cry into his chest.

"Tell me this isn't happening Lucas, I don't want this…"

"We'll go to the doctor tomorrow ok?"

Brooke just stood there for a minute… she wasn't sure what else to say. Lucas was clearly in denial; it made her wish she were too. She could tell herself that it was only a stomach bug while Lucas was gone, or that she hadn't drank anything at the wedding just because she was responsible or that she was a complete basket case all because of Peyton… or a million other things that had happened… were just coincident, things that hadn't happened last time. But she wasn't that stupid… deep down she'd known even before they'd looked at the tests that she was pregnant. Now she just had to get Lucas to believe it, and then decide what _they_ were going to do.

"Its not a false alarm this time"

"How do you know? Brooke… we were sure it wasn't last time too"

"Its different" Brooke whispered trying to get through to Lucas. He wasn't understanding…

"How is it different?"

"I feel different"

"It could be stress…." Lucas said hugging Brooke tighter. He could feel the tears starting to form in his eyes too. He was trying to think of anything to explain the positive tests…

"Its not stress"

"It's a little after 4, lets just some sleep… we'll go to the doctor first thing in the morning"

"We were so careful…" Brooke whispered crying harder into Lucas's chest. She stood there and let herself cry for a minute while he rubbed her back. They were never going to get to sleep tonight… at least she wasn't. As she stood there with Lucas holding her, she wondered how she'd ever gotten through this last time… she hadn't even let Lucas touch her… much less hold her and comfort her like he was. She could feel his chest tense up, and could tell he was crying too… but she didn't want to see it. Seeing him cry just might have put her over the edge.

"Come on… lets just try and get some sleep ok?"

"What are we going to do?"

"We're going to take it one day at a time… and hope its just all a false alarm" Lucas sighed kissing the top of Brooke's head. He hoped more than anything it was all just a false alarm…

"And if its not?"

"Then _we'll_ deal with it as it comes"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3. So I just re-read this and I think its actually one o my favorite chapters so far in this story. Especially the ending. So I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you so much for the reviews... we're at 63 for 2 chapters! Thats insane! I love you guys for it!

The next thing Brooke knew the sun was up and Lucas was asleep beside her. She barely remembered crawling into bed, much less falling asleep. The clock beside her said 9:30. At least they had managed to get a little sleep. She thought about turning over and going back to bed, and was getting ready to do it too until she heard the doorbell. Of course Lucas didn't budge, she wasn't sure what time he had gotten to sleep… so after debating about whether she really wanted to answer it or not, she finally just got up. The house was quiet and dull. Karen obviously still hadn't been home. It made Brooke wonder if everything was ok with Nathan and Rachel at the hospital; she'd have to remember to call when she got a chance.

Through the door window Brooke could see a short bald man, maybe one of Karen's lovers? She thought about just walking away, pretending she just didn't see him and going back to bed… but then again, maybe it was Ed Mcman here to give them a million dollars.

"Are you Karen Roe?" The short bald, bald man asked handing Brooke a piece of paper. For a split second Brooke thought maybe Karen had won something, at least until she saw the big red stamps all over the paper.

"No… she's not here"

"Daughter?"

"Her sons girlfriend?" Brooke asked. Whatever this was it was apparently pretty official, because the man snatched the paper back from Brooke as soon as she told him who she was.

"Hey…what's going on?" Lucas yawned joining Brooke at the door. He had heard voices from the bedroom and thought maybe this mom was home with some news.

"Are you related to Mrs. Roe?"

"I'm her son"

"This is a notice of foreclosure on her Front Street Café, unless she comes up with the money with-in the next we'll have to take it over" The man said handing Lucas the same piece of paper he had snatched from Brooke. Both Brooke and Lucas looked at each other in shock, Karen hadn't ever had any big money problems before. Of course they had some debt, and a few credit cards, but who didn't?

"What?"

"I'm sorry"

"What the hell is he talking about?" Lucas asked as the man walked away from the door leaving Brooke and Lucas staring at the piece of paper. Lucas couldn't believe what he was reading. His mom hadn't made the mortgage payment on the café this month? That wasn't like her at all.

"You're moms not in debt is she?"

"Of course she's in debt, but she pays all her bills and the mortgage. She always makes sure we have enough money for that every month"

"Keith" Brooke whispered. It hadn't occurred to her that it had probably cost Karen an arm and a leg to pay for all Keith's funeral expenses.

"What?"

"The funeral Lucas, it probably cost her a ton"

"If they take the café… she'll have nothing" Lucas said still staring down at the paper, reading the huge red stamp over and over.

"We'll then we'll raise the money, we did it for Nathan"

"That was rent and medical bills Brooke, not a mortgage payment"

"So, you want to sit here and let your mom loose the café when we could be doing something about it?" Brooke asked, surprised that Lucas wasn't more eager to help. This was after all his in-come too, and last time she checked if Karen didn't have anything, neither did Lucas.

"What are we going to do about it? Our friends don't have any money to spare, especially in a week's time"

"So, what we sit here and just let your mom deal with this?"

"We don't tell her yet, I've got some money Keith left for college" Lucas finally said, laying the paper on the kitchen table. Brooke could tell he was battling with the decision in his head. She knew Lucas wanted to go to college; he needed to go to college. But if he spent that money he wasn't getting in without a scholarship.

"Luke"

"What other choice do I have Brooke?"

"Just don't do anything yet ok? He didn't leave you that money to pay bills with. I've got an idea" Brooke smiled, she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of this before. If anyone knew about money problems and foreclosure it was definitely her.

"We don't have long"

"Just give me until tomorrow ok? Hey… trust me"

"I trust you"

After recovering a little from the morning's events, reality hit Brooke and Lucas for the 2nd time in an hour, when they walked into the bathroom and found the pregnancy tests on the counter. Both still sitting there as positive as ever, it made Brooke's stomach churn. There was no more putting it off now.

At the hospital Karen had been trying to call Lucas's cell phone all morning. Peyton and mouth had gotten there bright and early to check on their friends and bring everyone some breakfast. But as usual Lucas and Brooke were nowhere in sight. She'd expected one of them to at least call. But after waiting for a response from both of them for over an hour, she decided she'd just leave them both voicemails and forget about it. Haley was sitting beside her, still in her wedding dress staring at a picture in her wallet. Karen hadn't really talked to Haley much since they'd been there. She'd been too pre-occupied with Deb and calling her parents; so Karen decided to take the time and talk to her, see how she was doing.

"What's that?" Karen asked pointing to the picture hidden by Haley's fingers in her wallet.

"Oh… um, its an ultrasound picture. I was going to show Nathan on the plane" Haley smiled handing the picture to Karen. She figured she might as well tell Karen now, she was going to find out sooner or later.

"Haley are you pregnant?"

"Yea, I am"

Brooke and Lucas waited in the doctor's office for someone to call Brooke's name. Both were dead silent. When she had first gotten there, they had taken her blood, then sent her to the waiting room to wait. So they waited, and waited, and waited until Brooke didn't think she could take it anymore. Every once in a while she'd see Lucas nervously run his fingers through his hair, or check the time on his cell phone. She couldn't imagine what he was going through right now… first with Keith, then the crash, then this and now having to come up with that much money. Brooke just hoped his heart was strong enough to deal with all the stress he was under.

Finally after about 45 minutes of waiting, the nurse called Brooke's name. Her heart sank when she heard it. Here she'd been waiting for it he whole time, and now that it was actually the moment of truth, she just wanted to go home and get back in her bed. Lucas looked the same way as the walked towards the back together, and followed the nurse to what looked like a small office with some medical equipment in it. Brooke wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not.

"The doctor will be in in just a moment" The nurse smiled pointing at some chairs for Brooke and Lucas to sit down in. This was it, the moment of truth. Brooke felt like she was going to puke.

"Maybe it's a good sign they brought us in a office?"

"Sure"

"Mrs. Davis… how are you today?" The doctor smiled as he walked in. He looked nice enough as he sat there in his chair across from them. He wasn't bad looking either, at least Brooke didn't think so. Maybe Lucas should be a doctor, he was definitely hot enough. It took her a second to realize she was completely zoning out.

"Depends?"

"Ok so lets see here… tests show that you _are _indeed pregnant"

Both Brooke and Lucas paused for a second. Lucas knew it was going to be bad to hear, but he never expected it would be this bad. His whole body was numb. This wasn't supposed to be happening, he had pretty much convinced himself that the whole thing was just a big scare again. It had to be. They were 17, Brooke was 2 months younger than his mom had been when she had gotten pregnant with him. He looked over at Brooke. She wasn't crying like he had expected, she was just sitting there, looking down at her perfectly manicured fingernails and shaking her head slowly.

"You're 17… and probably about 5-6 weeks pregnant is what my nurse tells me, that's not too far along, we can talk about your options"

Brooke looked over at Lucas. He wasn't going to like what she was getting ready to do, but the way she saw it, they didn't have a choice. They couldn't have a baby, not now, not when so much was going on in both their lives. It wasn't fair to either of them.

"I think we should" Brooke said flatly, avoiding eye contact with Lucas like the plague. She didn't want to see the look she knew he was giving her. All of this in the end was going to break both their hearts, but it couldn't be about how much it hurt when it came to this. It had to be about what was best for them.

"Brooke"

"Lucas, we both know we can't have a baby"

"Maybe you 2 would like to talk about it? Maybe come back in a few days and we can do whatever we need to do. Whether its an ultrasound… or, other options" The doctor said, giving them a sad smile. Brooke wondered if he really felt for them, or just wanted their money. He probably had patients like them all the time.

"There's nothing to talk about"

"Brooke"

"No, Lucas" Brooke snapped, she didn't want to do this right now with him. He wasn't going to understand, not any of it. She didn't even understand, it was just all too complicated right now. If it had been 10 years later, she wouldn't have 1 hesitation about having a baby with him. When they had graduated college, were married, had good jobs. And it was probably going to hurt worse than anything she had ever done not to have this baby, but it just wasn't going to work.

"Why?"

"Why? Did you seriously just ask me that? Why? Ok let's start with money, of which we have none"

"We can make money" Lucas said knowing good and well between the 2 of them they could manage, she'd just have to stop with the $600 shoes, and he'd lay off the classic books.

"Right, we can make money. Ok… so lets say we magically both find decent jobs and make enough money, time. Lucas we're going to college next year! We don't have time for a baby"

"We'll have more time then we do now, and we apparently had enough time to make a baby"

"And what about you're mother Lucas? She's pregnant, she's going to need you for a lot, and so will I. Are you really ready for that?" Brooke asked giving him a sad look. He didn't understand she was trying to do this for him, to help him out.

"Yes"

"Its too much Lucas. I love you, I do, I love you more than anything and I would do anything for you, but not this. I cant do this, so please don't make me"

"We usually don't do anything the first visit anyway, why don't you 2 go home and sleep on this, and then call in the morning for another appointment"

The walk to the car was just as silent as the waiting room had been. Neither of them really had anything to say to the other one. Lucas especially, deep down he knew Brooke was probably right. But he also knew that if they didn't have this baby it was probably going to destroy them. Now it just came to the aspect of what was fairer to whom.

"Don't look at me like that" Brooke said slamming the car door after she was in. She hated it when Lucas gave her that look… the 'I'm not mad, just disappointed look'. The way she saw it he didn't really get much say in this right now.

"Like what?"

"Like you're so disappointed in me! What happened to you'd be there for me either way?"

"Things were so different last year" Lucas said starting the car. He loved Brooke Davis more than anyone on the planet but sometimes she made him madder then he ever thought he could get at anyone. She was being completely unreasonable about this. It wasn't so much that she didn't want it, it was that she hadn't even given it any thought. She'd just decided.

"What? So now if I decide that I'm not ready to take on the responsibility of being someone's mother, that makes me a bad person?"

"No, I just don't know what you're so scared of"

"You're not scared?" Brooke asked, waiting to see with what lie he came up then to cover his ass. Of course he was scared, and apparently delusional if he thought they were actually going to have a baby.

"Of course I'm scared, but none are bad enough that I wouldn't want to have a baby with you"

"Well mine are Lucas! Ok?"

"Why, just tell me why" That's all Lucas wanted to know. Not her excuses about money and time, they could make that work. There was something deep down, she wasn't telling him and he needed to know.

"Why? What happens in 10 years Lucas? We have a 10 year old and suddenly we decide that maybe this wasn't right, maybe we could have done more with our lives then raise a baby at 17! I don't want to live with that regret, or worse make our child live with that!"

"What about the regret if we don't have it?"

"I'm not ready to be the girl you got stuck with because you knocked her up senior year, ok? If we're meant to be together after this, I want to be because we're in love. Not because we had a baby" Brooke finally said. She hadn't planned on telling him this… not any of it. She hated letting him know how insecure she was about these things.

"You're not that girl to me Brooke"

"How am I supposed to ever know that for sure?"

Peyton could tell as soon as Brooke and Lucas walked into the waiting room there was something going on between them. They weren't holding hands, or even walking that closely. Brooke was still wearing his sweatshirt, but that didn't mean anything. Knowing Brooke she had probably stolen it. Peyton liked the idea of them fighting. It was really only a matter of time before one of them just called it quits. She had a feeling it would probably be Lucas who did it this time. He looked really pissed at her, or at least she thought he did until they sat down and he put his hand on hers. Brooke gave him a little smile, but it wasn't her usual giggly smile. It was sadder, like she had something else on her mind. Maybe another boy… maybe Mouth? Peyton could only dream.

Even though they had been fighting, Brooke and Lucas has both agreed not to tell anyone she was pregnant yet. At least until they had talked about it more and figured out exactly what they would do. Lucas decided to just tell Karen the doctor was going to call them tomorrow, then that way he wouldn't have to say anything until whatever they had decided on was official. He was actually starting to see Brooke's side a little. At least see it from her point of view. She was already so insecure with everything; a baby would just make it worse. And if she really wasn't ready, then she wasn't ready… and it wasn't his place to tell her what to do.

"I'm gonna go get some coffee, you need anything?" Lucas asked, getting tired of just sitting there. They hadn't been there long and his legs were already numb. He didn't really understand the point of being here, it wasn't like they could visit anyone except Rachel. And no one seemed to want to do that.

"I'll walk with you, I think I'm going to go say hi to Rachel" Brooke said jumping up after Lucas. She didn't want to risk having Peyton go with Lucas before she did.

"Mom?"

"A water maybe?"

"I think I'll walk with you guys" Mouth volunteered after getting a nudge from Peyton. She couldn't go herself, but if Mouth went things wouldn't look suspicious at all. Maybe he'd even get some information for her, after all he did seem pretty mad at Lucas today.

"You feeling ok?"

"Yea, just tired… I'll see you in the lobby in a while?" Brooke asked once they reached Rachel's room. It made her feel better that just Mouth had come, at least that way Lucas wouldn't have to go by himself, and he also would have to go with Peyton.

"Yea, call me if you change you're mind"

Lucas continued to walk with Mouth down the hall, leaving Brooke at Rachel's room. He didn't really like Rachel and Brooke hanging out that much, considering there was no telling what Rachel was planting in Brooke's head, especially now. But then he guessed with everything they were both going through they probably needed each other to talk too. Mouth was quieter than usual as they looked for the cafeteria, it was almost like he was giving Lucas the silent treatment but Lucas had no idea why.

"So you and Peyton have been hanging out a lot lately" Lucas said trying to start conversation. It probably wasn't the best subject but it was all he could come up with at the time. He hadn't seen Mouth a lot lately and he felt bad for it, but with everything that had been going on with all of them their just hadn't been time.

"She's lonely"

"I bet, so is Brooke"

"Why? Brooke got what she wanted" Mouth muttered. Lucas couldn't believe what he had just heard Mouth say. Mouth, the guy who seemed to worship Brooke, talking about her like she had done something wrong.

"So Peyton told you"

"I know it's none of my business, and you don't have to answer"

"Come on Mouth" Lucas sighed. He at least owed it to Mouth to let him talk, he'd deal with Peyton's influence on Mouth later.

"What's so different between Brooke and Peyton, I mean what made you wake up one day and say, I want Brooke"

"I had to ask myself that a million times. I actually tried to want Peyton and not Brooke. There's just something about Brooke. She pisses me off to no end, she makes me madder and more upset then anyone ever has. But at the end of the day, I see her or I kiss her and I just feel it. It's not something you cant make happen… it just does"

"What about people like Peyton, where their person has another person?" Mouth asked giving Lucas a serious look. It was starting to hit Lucas what this was all about, and why Mouth and Peyton had been spending so much time together lately. They were both in love with people they couldn't have… and there was nothing they could do about it.

"I'm not the one for Peyton, she just wants me to be. Brooke and I don't have any reservations about being together, we've talked about it and we're with who we want to be with"

"Brooke looked tired"

"She's going through a lot right now" Lucas really hoped Mouth would just leave it at that answer. He hated to lie to Mouth. Mouth was his friend, but when it came to this he didn't have a choice.

"Peyton said she was... you know, late"

"You can tell Peyton to mind her own business"

"Is she?"

When Brooke walked into the room Rachel was asleep on the bed. She looked so bad, cuts on her face and 2 black eyes. She looked like she'd been in a bar fight, not a car accident. Brooke just sat there for a minute. It was nice to have some peace. She loved Lucas for being there for her, but he hadn't left her site since yesterday. She needed to be alone and think, even if it was in Rachel's hospital room. Brooke noticed that Rachel didn't have anything in her room, no flowers, no candy… just one measly card. She knew she shouldn't but Brooke picked it up and read it anyway. _Feel better, we'll try and get home in the next few weeks. You understand. –Mom and Dad_. As Brooke read it, she realized maybe she and Rachel weren't that different after all. They both just wanted someone to love, and he loved back. Brooke had just been lucky enough to find Lucas.

"Great parents huh?" Rachel said in a weak raspy voice. Brooke hadn't even realized she was awake and felt kind of bad for reading the card.

"Ours should meet, I think they'd get along"

"You know you're the first person to come see me, other than the doctors of course"

"Sorry, Lucas and I have kind of been in a crisis. I know that's no excuse, do you need anything?" Brooke asked feeling even more guilty. She had to be the worst friend ever lately. Even if she did have a lot going on.

"Just some company. It was fine when I was crying, but now it's kinda lonely"

"I'm sorry about Cooper"

"Apparently he had 2 wives on the side or something" Rachel laughed but Brooke could tell from her tone she was hurting. Rachel hadn't deserved this. Sure, she was kind of a bitch most of the time. But she wasn't any worse then Brooke had been at times last year.

"Manwhore"

"Tell me about you and Lucas's crisis, I need some drama"

"I cant really" Brooke sighed, knowing Lucas would probably kill her if she told anyone, especially Rachel. But for some reason she wanted to tell Rachel, she was almost easier to talk to than Lucas. She didn't judge Brooke for anything, and she didn't know all the messy history that came along with her.

"If you say so…"

"I'm pregnant, and I told Lucas I didn't want to keep the baby"

"Why?" Rachel asked, not seeming the least but shocked. If anything Brooke was more shocked by Rachel's reaction to the news.

"Why? You sound like Lucas. We can't have a baby"

"If I can, you can"

"What?" Brooke asked completely shocked now. Rachel was pregnant too? She hadn't seen that one coming at all.

"Hints the accident…"

"I'm sorry Rach"

"At least you have Lucas there for you Brooke, you have a man who loves you and would do anything in this world for you…including turning down sex with me" Rachel laughed. She was apparently taking her pregnancy news a lot better then Brooke and Lucas were. She was already making jokes and laughing again. Brooke wondered why she couldn't just do that?

"I have to say, I'm impressed"

"So, you just don't want the baby"

"Its just not that, I'm just not ready. If I were older then it'd be a whole different story" Brooke said, actually telling the truth for once. She didn't mind telling this stuff to Rachel. Maybe she'd actually support her decision and understand what she was going through.

"So tell me this. What if Lucas died tomorrow, would you keep the baby then? Have a piece of him to love forever? That sort of thing"

"Yea, probably"

"Well then you're lying to yourself when you say you aren't ready" Rachel laughed, kind of pissing Brooke off. She was supposed to be supportive not calling her a liar. What was with people in this town? It wasn't like having a baby at 17 was some wonderful thing, in fact it was bad. Really bad as of last time she checked and she wasn't ready to deal with that yet.

"What?"

"What would make you anymore ready tomorrow if Lucas were dead? If anything you'd be less ready, you wouldn't have a boyfriend"

"Wait, but" Brooke stuttered trying to comprehend what Rachel was saying. This was terrible! She didn't want to think about Lucas dying tomorrow, especially with his heart condition.

"No, you say you aren't ready now. And sure, that makes since. Hell we're 17, but what would make you keep it tomorrow? I'll tell you what would make you keep it. Because it would be part of Lucas, and you love Lucas right? Well whether Lucas is dead or not you're baby is part of him, and it doesn't matter if you're 17 or 37, you'll love it the same right? So when you tell yourself you aren't ready, you're just lying to yourself"

"Wait…What? This has to be one of the more morbid conversations I've ever had"

"You're dodging the question, you'd love it no matter what right?" Rachel asked. She could tell she was making Brooke think, and even though she didn't always like Brooke. She also didn't want to see her do something she was going to regret. Rachel knew regret, and she didn't wish that on anyone. Not even Brooke.

"Of course I would"

"Then why would you do something you're going to regret, something you cant take back?"

"Who says I would regret it?" Brooke asked, now trying to come up with anything to make her case. This was not going well. If Rachel had her way they'd all be having babies at 17.

"Brooke"

"Its too much on Lucas, with his mom and Keith and money"

"Obviously its not if he wants it, and if you do this and it isn't what you both want. I give it 3 days before its over between you guys" Rachel smiled. Brooke hated that smirk… Rachel was just lucky she was already hurt because Brooke had the mind to give her a black eye at that moment. Not because she was mad, more because she knew Rachel was right.

"Why?"

"Because you will have ruined what makes you love each other"

"I don't think I understood any of that, but somehow it makes since" Brooke laughed wiping the tired eyes. She couldn't believe she was falling for this. It was Rachel, she probably had some evil ulterior motive behind it. But somehow, Brooke didn't really care anymore.

"See… aren't you glad you came to visit me?"

"No, now I've gotta get fat and have a baby"

"You'll thank me one day, and hey maybe you'll get fatter than I do"


	4. Chapter 4

Ok! Here's chapter 4! Yay! As always a HUGE thanks to Kaela... because without her there probably wouldnt be any chapters! I hope you guys all enjoy it and keep it the reviews!

Brooke sat and talked to Rachel in her room for what seemed like hours, something she'd never done before. It was almost like she didn't need Peyton anymore. Rachel didn't judge her or ask stupid questions she already knew the answers too like Peyton always did. She just listened and told Brooke how it really was. Of course Brooke didn't always like Rachel's answers about how it really was, but they were things she needed to hear. She'd been debating telling Rachel about Peyton but had ultimately decided against it. She knew they had kind of been friends at one point and really didn't want to step on any toes. It wasn't like Brooke had a lot of friends to risk loosing right now.

"Can I ask you a question?" Rachel asked. She could tell, even after all the talking they had done that there was still something on Brooke's mind. She still just seemed so nervous and worried about whenever Rachel brought up Peyton or Lucas, or especially if she brought them both up together.

"Sure"

"Why are you so insecure about you and Lucas?"

"I'm not" Brooke lied, well at least half lied. She wasn't really insecure with Lucas. It was Peyton she worried about. Peyton was a woman and women did have their deceptive ways of getting boys. Making it so that it almost wasn't even the boys fault.

"I thought we said no lying"

"99 of the time, I know he loves me. I mean it's me he chose right? But then I see the way he looks at Peyton sometimes, and the way she looks at him and it just makes me wonder if he's just hiding with me, like he was last year. Just waiting until things could work out with Peyton"

"The boy I played strip basketball with that night, definitely didn't want Peyton. Brooke I spent a god awful 5 hours listening to how you were the one, and how he can feel it in his heart. Even when I tried to mix it up a little and ask why, he started quoting some creepy guy to me… its you he wants" Rachel said as clear as she could. What was wrong with this girl? Here she was, Brooke Davis the most popular girl in school. Dating Lucas Scott, sure he was hot, and sweet but he definitely wasn't on the top of every girls list to date. And here Brooke was afraid of loosing him.

"Peyton told me she has feelings for him again"

"I hope you slapped her"

"I did, and we kinda of aren't speaking, ok better question. Why are you so insecure about Mouth?" Brooke asked changing the subject as fast as she could. Even though she was furious at Peyton, that didn't mean she was going to sit here and talk crap about her to Rachel. She still felt a little bit of loyalty to Peyton, Ex best friend or not.

"He's too nice"

"That's right, you never saw Lucas before I corrupted him into what he is today. You know nice boys _can_ play dirty"

"Apparently so, but its not that. I mean he's too nice, its like no matter what I do to him, he still comes back" Rachel laughed trying to count all the horrible things she had done to Mouth over the school year. She had been terrible to him, and yet he still kept coming back, waiting to be her friend.

"Maybe he just loves you"

"Or maybe he's just trying to make you jealous"

"God how did this turn into last year again?" Brooke sighed leaning back in her chair. This history repeats itself thing really wasn't cool. People were supposed to move on and find new drama, not keep the same drama all 4 years of high school. At least that's the way Brooke saw it.

"It doesn't matter now, things are way too screwed up"

"Lucas made out with my best friend… twice and I slept with Chris Keller. If Lucas and I can get through that then you and Mouth can definitely make it through everything you've been through"

"1 in a million people find their soul mate in high school. That's just how it is. Do I think you and Lucas are 2 of those 2 million? Probably. Nathan and Haley? No, not really. Me and Mouth, no. High School Sweethearts are just people to pass the time until you find your real soul mate." Rachel smiled. Brooke had never heard that before, and actually found it funny that Rachel didn't think that perfect little Naley were meant to be together. But it also kind of sucked that she thought like that. Where Brooke had always been completely optimistic about these things, Rachel was the complete opposite and it was kind of bringing Brooke down.

"But that doesn't mean you can't have fun in the meantime"

"Come to make sure we haven't killed each other?" Rachel asked seeing Lucas in the doorway. She decided to ignore Brooke's comment for now. That was another conversation for another day. She was getting tired anyway.

"Kinda" Lucas laughed handing Brooke a Pepsi and a candy bar he had brought her back from the cafeteria. He didn't know how she was still functioning after the day they had had.

"Ok, you two go before I start gagging. Apparently I'm sick enough without the puking"

"You sure?" Brooke asked, she felt kind of guilty just leaving Rachel there alone. It wasn't like anyone else was going to come and see her. But then on the other hand she did need to talk to Lucas. He looked so tired and stressed out.

"Yea, I'm kinda tired anyway"

"I'll call you later?"

"Sure"

Lucas and Brooke both waved by to Rachel and then headed back down the hallway to the lobby. Brooke wasn't really ready to sit with everyone yet. Especially Peyton. The glares were almost too much to handle, especially now. Instead, she wanted to just walk with her boyfriend. Preferably somewhere warm and sunny but since she had a feeling they couldn't really leave right now, she guessed the hospital was going to have to do. Lucas looked so tired and stressed. She really couldn't for the life of her understand why he'd want more stress with a baby. Especially with his heart, none of this could be good for him. Maybe she'd make sure one more time that he really wanted it before she told him about her talk with Rachel

"Lets take a walk" Brooke smiled taking Lucas's hand. She was trying to he her usually happy cheery self the best she could. It wasn't easy, especially with all that was on her mind. Some things you just couldn't be that happy and cheery about. But for Lucas, she'd try.

"Sure"

"How's Mouth?"

"I think Peyton must know something" Lucas said, figuring that was the only way Mouth would have any clue Brooke could be pregnant. He was really starting to dislike Peyton more and more today. Sure she was his friend, he cared about her and felt bad that things weren't going to work out for her. But Brooke hadn't done anything to Peyton as far as he knew, and being the loyal friend Brooke was he didn't question what she told him. Brooke may have been a lot of things, but she definitely wasn't a liar or a cheater.

"I did live with her for a while"

"I think she's feeding Mouth a bunch of crap"

"Crap, or does she just know and she's telling him the truth?" Brooke sighed leaning into Lucas as they walked. It sucked having to lie to all their friends, especially Mouth. He didn't deserve this, to be lied too like he had done something wrong. Then again maybe it was for the best. She wasn't sure what was going to hurt him more. The fact that she was pregnant, or the fact that they had lied to him about it.

"I'm sorry about earlier"

"For what?"

"Pushing you, its not fair of me to ask you to do this if you aren't ready" Lucas said completely sincere with his words. Brooke knew it was taking a lot for him to say that, but she wasn't quite ready to start with that subject yet. Not while they were walking past the nursery at least.

"Rachel's pregnant"

"Wow. Since when are you and Rachel so buddy-buddy?"

"Well I mean, any girl who can get my boyfriend to play strip basketball with her sounds pretty Brooke Davis friend worthy" Brooke laughed trying to change the tone a little. This was way to depressing for her, and imaging Lucas naked… while playing basketball was definitely an anti depressant.

"I didn't strip"

"Uh huh, and why haven't we ever played strip basketball?"

"Because you'd be completely naked and I'd be completely, you know what? I think we should" Lucas nodded laughing. It was funny enough trying to imagine Brooke playing basketball, much less trying to do it topless. That was one thing they'd never done together, basically because Brooke had no interest whatsoever in playing basketball while she could be shopping.

"Would you want it to be a boy or a girl?"

"What?"

"If we kept the baby" Brooke said catching Lucas totally off guard. Judging from his reaction he hadn't been expecting that one. He was completely silent for a minute. She wasn't sure if he was thinking, or doing that brooding thing he did when he pretended not to hear her. Right when Brooke had given up and was about to change the subject Lucas finally answered.

"Probably a girl"

"Really?"

"Yea, I mean if it were a boy there'd probably be all these insecurities about being a father, everything with Dan and Keith. A girl just seems easier. What's so funny?" Lucas asked watching as Brooke shook her head laughing. He was starting to think this lack of sleep was getting to her a little bit.

"Nothing, you just would want a girl for the same reason I'd want a boy"

"I couldn't see you with a boy Brooke Davis" He really couldn't see her with any baby the more he thought about it. Brooke just didn't seem like the motherly type. Then again neither did Rachel and she was pregnant. But it was different with Brooke. She just seemed too young and care free to have to deal with this, while Rachel seemed more of the get pregnant at 17 type.

"Exactly, I could just hand him off to you while I shopped. Plus we wouldn't have to worry about a boy getting pregnant at 17"

"Just about it getting another girl pregnant"

"So true, its last name would be Scott" Brooke giggled. This wasn't too bad. She'd always thought it would be awkward to bring up children. Which was why neither of them had ever even mentioned anything past maybe the engagement ring she wanted one day. Of course now they didn't have a choice but to talk about it. Scarier than that, it actually wasn't that bad, it was almost normal.

"I think we'd be screwed either way"

"I think we should keep the baby"

"What?" Lucas asked stopping dead in his tracks. He hadn't been expecting that one, especially after the fight Brooke had put up the whole way here about not having the baby. Suddenly she had changed her mind? He'd heard pregnant women could be hormonal and indecisive but this was too big of a decision to keep changing minds.

"I was talking to Rachel and I think it makes more since to keep it then not too"

"Wait what?"

"Ok that's not really the reaction I was going for here" Brooke said frustratingly trying to put it a way he might understand it better. It wasn't that hard.

"I've spent the entire day talking myself out of this, convincing myself how bad this would be"

"Spend 10 minutes with Rachel, that'll cure any doubts"

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked scratching his head the way he always did when he was nervous or confused. He'd almost talked himself completely out of keeping the baby, to the point where he was pretty sure he definitely wasn't ready to be a father, and now Brooke had changed her mind.

"For now, I may have to spend a little more time with Rachel when I start getting fat"

"Because we don't have to do this Brooke"

"I know, but everything happens for a reason right? Or at least that's what I keep telling myself" Brooke sighed, deciding to start walking again. She didn't like that he was this unsure. The only reason she had decided on this was because he had seemed to want the baby so much.

"Keep that optimism. We've still got to figure out how to pay a mortgage and tell my mother"

"So, what if we, I don't know, accidentally forgot to tell your mom"

"And how would what work exactly?" Lucas laughed too tired to think it out for himself. Then again with Brooke, on his best day he still probably couldn't figure out her logic behind the things she came up with.

"Well its March, which means I probably got pregnant like, the end of January"

"Backseat"

"Or the trampoline, anyway that means we wouldn't have the baby until September or October. We wont be here anymore" Brooke said. The plan worked for her. It wasn't like Karen was going to have all the time in the world to worry about what she and Lucas were doing away at college. She'd have her own baby to worry about.

"So?"

"So, we just let the baby tell her when she visits for Christmas or whatever"

"Because 3 month old babies are really good at explaining these kind of things" Lucas laughed shaking his head at Brooke. She was definitely going to need some sort of class or something before they had this baby.

"Well its self explanatory, and besides with our good looks our baby will blind her with cuteness and she wont care"

"Yea, we're gonna have to tell her"

"Fine, but my parents are staying in the dark" Brooke said. His mom was his thing, but she sure as hell wasn't letting her parents in on this. They'd kill her, and cut off all funds. Not to mention they were finally at the point where they didn't think she was the biggest slut in North Carolina.

"Why?"

"Because I like the check they send me every month"

"Speaking of checks, I guess I should probably start with breaking it to my mom about the café" Lucas had almost forgotten about it for a minute. But when he remembered it hit him like a ton of bricks. None of this was going to work if his mom lost the café. They'd have pretty much nothing.

"That's it!"

"What?"

"My dad, we call him" Brooke shrieked. Lucas didn't like the idea so much. He'd only met Brooke's dad once and he wasn't the nicest guy in the world from what he remembered. Then again, he had walked in right in the middle of Lucas un-hooking his daughter's bra, but still.

"We're not calling your dad"

"Why not?"

"Your dads scary" Lucas laughed. Brooke knew her dad was scary. That was after all how he had gotten so rich. But Lucas figured he at least probably loved his daughter, so did Brooke's mother. They just had really screwed up ways of showing it.

"Are we forgetting who your father is? Lucas if anyone knows anything about debt and money and getting out of it, it's my parents. I'll take care of it, just go I don't know, start breaking it to your mother slowly. I'm gonna go make a phone call"

Lucas left Brooke to her own, while he went back to the lobby to start talking to his mom. Maybe they should just let the baby tell her. Somehow that seemed a lot easier. He hated putting her though this, especially now after all that had happened. Here she was finally getting things back to normal, she'd found out what he assumed she thought was good news about being pregnant, and he had to drop this one on her. At least this time she knew there was a chance, where as last time she hadn't even known he had a girlfriend, much less that he was having sex with her.

In the lobby Karen and Haley were sitting together, both knitting. Lucas tried to imagine Brooke knitting. Imagine was about as far as that one went. Brooke definitely wasn't the knitting kind of person, at least not in his mind. After dodging a few glares from Peyton, Lucas joined his mom and Haley and tried and make casual conversation before he got to the big stuff.

"Where's Brooke?" Karen asked, wondering if they were still fighting or if they knew anything yet. She was so worried for both of them. Neither of them were ready to have a baby. Especially Brooke. They had so much ahead of them. College, their careers, a baby was just going to mess up all of that. If was different for Haley and Nathan. They were married, somewhat mature, and Haley seemed to really want this. She had always wanted kids. But Brooke, Karen couldn't picture Brooke with a puppy, much less a baby to take care of.

"Making a phone call"

"She didn't look great, what'd you do to her Luke?"

"Lack of sleep, and not for the reasons you think" Lucas sighed wiping his eyes. He was completely exhausted. It made him feel better to see that Haley was ok though. This was the first time she'd even spoken since last night, which made him think Nathan must have been doing ok.

"I knew there wasn't going to be sex after the way she was looking at you at the wedding. You'd of thought you'd killed her dog"

"Brooke doesn't have a dog"

"Maybe you should get her one, might make her happier with you. She didn't look to thrilled walking in here today either" Haley laughed rolling her eyes at Lucas. She loved how clueless he was when it came to Brooke. They had this whole complex relationship with all this crazy drama and fighting. But somehow at the end of the day, they didn't care anymore and just loved the other one for who they were, and didn't blame them for what they'd done.

"We definitely don't need a dog to deal with"

"Whatever you say. Karen why am I doing pink?"

"Its cute" Karen smiled, half listening to Haley and Lucas's conversation. She had way too much on her mind to start worrying about more.

"What if I have a boy?"

"Wait what?"

"Oh yea your brother knocked me up" Haley laughed patting Lucas on the shoulder. Lucas had no words at all. Haley pregnant. He had thought she was at least smarter than that. Not saying Brooke wasn't, but it was different with them. Or at least he'd always thought it was until now.

"Where are you women getting your birth control!"

"Um, Brooke and I use the patch and its supposed to be 99 effective"

"Apparently not" Lucas laughed nervously, still at a loss for exactly what to say. Maybe they'd just all sue the birth control company and make some extra cash. At this rate every teenage girl in Tree Hill was going to end up pregnant.

"So Nathan and I were that 1. After everything that's happened I'm glad we were. Poor Brooke, here I thought she was the one who was the basket case"

"Lucas" Karen whispered finally getting what this meant. She didn't need Lucas to confirm Brooke was pregnant. Haley had said it all in those few sentences.

"Oh My God! She's pregnant too"

"Didn't I teach you anything about condoms Lucas?"

"He used condoms Karen, believe me Brooke had enough laying around the room to protect a small country from pregnancy" Haley laughed actually finding this funny. Brooke and Lucas had spent god only knew how much money on condoms. The only problem was they were never home to use them, and it wasn't like either of them carried them around in a wallet or a purse. The way Haley saw it, Brooke and Lucas were more spur of the moment sex people, there was no planning or romance involved 80 of the time. Meanwhile she and Nathan were the complete opposite.

"Can we not?"

"Ok how much do you love that your girlfriends a genius?" Brooke shrieked interrupting the entire conversation. She could tell the second she saw their faces Lucas had pretty much skipped the hinting part, and gone right to the telling. Normally she would have been kinda mad, but considering what the news actually was, she was kind of glad she hadn't been there for it.

"Apparently not?"

"I guess you told them about the thing"

"The thing? That's what you call it?" Haley asked pretty disgusted that Brooke would call her baby and pregnancy a thing. Then again it didn't really shock her. Their kid was going to need so much therapy that it didn't matter when Brooke started with her craziness. It was already too late for that baby.

"Uh, yea pretty much, so"

"We have to talk about this you two"

"We already have" Lucas whispered not wanting to get into this now, especially now that Peyton was back from where ever she had gone for the past 10 minutes.

"And"

"And, does anyone what to hear about how Brooke totally saved the café?"

"You know about the café?" Karen asked giving Lucas a look. She hadn't meant for him to find out anything about that. It wasn't fair to stress him out like that, especially now with his heart and Brooke. Any one thing could stress him to the point where they'd be visiting him in the hospital.

"They came to the door this morning"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you Luke, I just wasn't sure what I was going to do and you seemed so stressed out already"

"Why the looks, totally not my fault. In fact if I remember correctly the trampoline was his idea" Of course no one believed Brooke when she said this, but it was true. Lucas could get pretty kinky when he wanted too.

"Too much information"

"Anyway, if anyone wants to know. I talked to my dad"

"How'd he take it?" Karen asked, guessing Brooke's parents probably didn't take the news well. She'd only ever talked to them once on the phone but she could tell everything about them from that one conversation.

"What? You think I would actually tell him I was pregnant? I'm talking about the café. Anyway it's called Special Forbearance. Basically I talked to the bank, and explained about Keith and how you were pregnant and your sons a manwhore getting other girls pregnant and how its seriously effecting your annual income, so they put off payments for 6 months until you get back on your feet"

"I love that my girlfriends a genius"

"Brooke, how'd… Thank you" Karen gasped not believing what she was hearing. She'd tried to think of anything to help save the café, and here Brooke had done it with one phone call.

"It's the least I could do, ew Haley what is that god awful thing you're making?"

"It's a blanket"

"Sure it is, why?" Brooke laughed, totally not seeing how that thing was a blanket. For Haley to be little miss house wife, she really wasn't good at the housewife kind of duties. Sure, she was ok at cleaning. But her cooking and sewing, Brooke had a feeling Lucas could do better.

"Apparently birth control really doesn't work in Tree Hill"

"Are you serious! I don't know whether to be sad or happy for you!"

"Same here!" Haley laughed giving Brooke a hug. For a split second everything seemed ok again. Sure, their lives were kinda shot to hell. But right now it didn't really seem to matter.

"This is so sad and screwed up"

"Excuse me, Mrs. James? I have some news on Nathan"


	5. Chapter 5

hey everyone! sorry its taken so long with this chapter. I've been out of town and totally lost track of time! Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter and heres the new one! 

Brooke and Lucas spent the next few days avoiding the rest of the world. Since Nathan had gotten to go home with a few restrictions like, no driving, lifting, or sex, Haley was busy taking care of him. Karen was out all the time working at the café or helping Deb with funeral arrangements for Cooper. The hospital had decided to keep Rachel for observation a few more days, and no one had really heard from Peyton or Mouth. So Brooke and Lucas decided to spend the rest of what was their Easter break being 17. At least that's what they had planned on until Brooke realized it wasn't that easy to be 17 and pregnant. No drinking, no hot tubs, no roller coasters, and these were just the obvious ones since Brooke and Lucas didn't go back to the doctor until tomorrow. There was no telling what else he was going to throw in there. So if being 17 meant laying around, watching a lot of TV and being utterly bored, then they were 17.

"This sucks" Brooke whined burying her head into Lucas's shoulder. There was only so much basketball she could watch before she wanted to hang herself. Karen wasn't helping matters. She'd decided to stay home all-day and work on money stuff and baby names. In Brooke's opinion she was crazy. It was bad enough having to listen to all the names Karen would suggest for her and Keith's baby. But now she was starting in on what Brooke and Lucas should name their baby, and worst of all, Lucas just kinda sat there ignoring it all, watching his beloved basketball.

"You know John Keith is nice, and for a girl maybe Kelley Ann"

"Or Ester or Margaret… Karen we're having babies, not 80 year olds"

"Babies need a strong name" Karen sighed. Everyday she got more and more scared for Brooke. She'd known Brooke wasn't exactly baby savvy, but not to the degree she was learning. Brooke really knew nothing and as much as she loved Brooke, she was starting to think maybe Peyton should have been the pregnant one.

"Please just don't give that one a name as bad as Eugene"

"Family names are always middle names Brooke"

"So something like Esmerelda wouldn't cut it?" Brooke giggled seeing if maybe it would watch Lucas's attention away from his stupid Carolina/Duke game. But of course not. Although maybe if he really didn't care he'd just let her name the baby, then she wouldn't have to listen to his names after writers or basketball players.

"Its your kid, you and Lucas name it what you what. It just shows a lot of respect if you name it after someone"

"I miss alcohol. I have to be this miserable for like 8 more months?"

"You think this is miserable? Wait until the weight comes, the morning sickness hits in full force, the cravings, back aches, swollen ankles. With Lucas I was twice my normal size" Karen laughed remembering how she'd been at Brooke's age. Suddenly she wasn't as worried about Brooke. If anything she'd known even less about babies then Brooke did, before she had Lucas.

"It's a wonder your mother loves you Lucas, I suddenly forgive my mother for all the resentment she has towards me"

"Then there's child birth"

"I don't know who to be mad at about this, your child or your grandchild" Brooke whined into Lucas's chest again. This time she got a pat on the back and a kiss on the head, but of course his eyes never left the TV screen.

"Children are a blessing"

"Don't give me that crap"

"You don't think so?" Karen laughed trying to imagine how her grandchild would turn out with Brooke as a mother. With any luck it would be a boy so she could only have but so much affect on the poor kid.

"If blessing means accident, ugh I've gotta pee… again"

"I've gotta live through 7 months of this?" Lucas asked as Brooke whined her whole way to the bathroom. Between his mom's OCD and Brooke being almost completely insane, he was going crazy.

"I heard that!"

"She's gonna be fun"

"Hey, have you guys seen Brooke?" Haley asked, just walking in the side door as usual. Lucas wondered if Haley was as hormonal as his mom and Brooke were right now. He hoped so, then at least Nathan could feel ½ his pain.

"She's in the bathroom probably slitting her wrists, how's Nathan?"

"Ok, Deb's with him. I needed a break. How's everyone holding up?"

"Counting the hours until its time for bed and Brooke smothers me" Lucas sighed turning his basketball game up to drown out the women talk. It was times like this he really missed Keith. It seemed like he'd been gone so much loner than just 3 months. So much had happened since then.

"That bad?"

"She's crazy"

"I heard that too" Brooke yelled re-claiming her spot in Lucas's lap. She figured if she sat on him long enough his legs would start to hurt and he'd have to get up and do something with her. Anything with her, she just needed to get out of this house

"Crazy, um beautiful"

"You are so lucky I don't want to raise this kid alone"

"How ya feeling Brooke?" Haley laughed giving Brooke a sympathetic look. She looked utterly miserable stuck here with Lucas and Karen. Not that Haley blamed her, they weren't the most entertaining bunch when it came to spring break.

"Like I want to take a pair of scissors and cut off Lucas's"

"Hey lets go shopping"

"What's the point? I'm only going to get too fat to wear the clothes anyway" Brooke whined. The more she thought about it the more it depressed her. She was going to have to shop at Wal-Mart or Target and wear cheap fat clothes. That right there was enough to send her over the edge.

"So?"

"Apparently I am saving my money"

"Why?" Haley laughed trying to figure out what Brooke had just said. Brooke saving money was like Peyton actually being happy or Dan being nice. It just didn't happen unless there was some really good off the wall reason.

"Why am I saving my money? Because apparently babies cost money"

"Your parents send you $1,000 a month and you sell 10 dresses a month for $200 each, why people spend that much on a dress, I'll never know. That's $3,000 a month."

"Stop reminding me" Brooke sighed feeling even more depressed. Haley didn't understand that Brooke could easily blow $3,000 in one shopping trip if she had the right stores and people with her.

"Brooke, together Nathan and I make barely $2,000 a month"

"Brooke you said you didn't have much money" Karen said setting down her book of names and joining in the conversation.

"My parents make about $500,000.00 a year, well except that one year where we kinda almost lost everything"

"You make $36,000.00 a year at 17"

"I don't know, I'm too sheltered" Brooke sighed leaning back on Lucas, who was still fixated on his basketball game. It made her wonder if he was going to be like this from now on. Just sit around, get a beer belly and watch TV while she had to deal with everything else. She couldn't really imagine Lucas with a belly, then she couldn't imagine herself with one either and that definitely was going to happen. They'd have to live in some torn down trailer with 8 kids, a couple dogs, and just enough money to buy beer and crackers. This was slowly making Brooke want to cry.

"Not to mention you have how much in your bank account, savings account, stocks, college funds?" Haley asked bringing Brooke back to reality for a second.

"Are you seriously asking me this? I don't know!"

"Its on your bank statement every month"

"Like I actually open that" Brooke said, in awe that her friend didn't know her better than this. It wasn't like Brooke had ever been money savvy before so she wasn't sure why they thought she was supposed to know something about it now.

"I hope she knows more about babies than she does money"

"She really doesn't" Lucas half laughed, taking his attention away from the TV now that it was a commercial. He usually tried to avoid these kind of conversations, especially when it involved Haley and Brooke in the same argument, but he figured Brooke might could use the help on this one.

"I really don't"

"And you got into Carolina how?"

"Because my parents gave them a lot of money?" Brooke asked hypothetically, knowing good and well that was the only reason she'd gotten in. Which didn't bother her, as long as they had some sort of a fashion program she didn't care where she went, as long as Lucas was there with her.

"You're hopeless, lets get you out of this house"

The mall was crowded as it always was on spring break in Tree Hill. Ages ranging from the 13 year olds giggling with too much make-up on and stuffed bras, to the high school seniors trying to have some kind of fun on their last day of spring break, before school started back tomorrow. This made for a miserable shopping experience for Brooke, especially with Haley. She loved the girl dearly, but when it came to shopping, Brooke hadn't quite trained her the way she had Peyton. Haley looked for bargains while Brooke looked for style and brand name. Brooke didn't think the trip could get anymore depressing and dull, that was until they got to the baby section in Nordstroms. Normally this was just something they used as a shortcut so Brooke could get to her Juicy Couture section of the store, but today just the sight of the women and their babies made Brooke completely uncomfortable and awkward feeling. All the crying and the cooing, it made her almost sick to her stomach seeing it all. Maybe she wasn't as ok with this as she had thought.

"So how's everyone taking it?" Haley asked, breaking the molasses thick tension that had suddenly formed. Haley could see what looked like sheer terror on Brooke's face. The more Haley thought about it she wasn't sure Brooke had even ever held a baby other than Jenny.

"You mean the un-spoken subject? I wouldn't know. We haven't actually had a serious conversation about it since I went to the doctor last, and that was just me and Lucas. Karen doesn't say anything, she just sits there and acts like its all ok" Brooke sighed, trying to pull Haley out of the baby department as fast as possible, and maybe get her off the subject too.

"Maybe she understands what you're going through. I mean you are the same age she was"

"Still, you'd think she'd be somewhat pissed off at me. I mean I'm still pissed off at me"

"Karen's parents freaked on her when she got pregnant. She was stuck doing everything alone. They still don't talk. Maybe she just wants to be different with you and Lucas" Haley shrugged. Brooke could see her point but it still didn't make things any easier. She and Lucas had talked about things some, and started making plans and ideas for the future. Things like college and money, things that Karen probably wasn't going to be happy with.

"Sounds like reason enough for me to tell my parents. What about you and Nathan?"

"He doesn't know yet. I figured I should wait and tell him after he's recovered some"

"Haley that could be months, don't you think he going to start to wonder?" Brooke almost laughed picturing Haley about 6 months pregnant, and Nathan still not knowing. He was the kind of guy who probably wouldn't even have a clue even then. He wasn't very perceptive about those sort of things like Lucas was.

"He's not going to be happy Brooke"

"Well obviously, who is happy about getting pregnant at 17? But look at Lucas, he did 10 times better than I thought he would. So much so I had to end up keeping this thing"

"This thing?" Haley laughed watching as Brooke rolled her eyes and continued to talk. Of course no one was happy about being pregnant at 17, but Haley did have one thing to be thankful for. She wasn't Brooke Davis, pregnant at 17.

"The baby, whatever. Hey whose that with Peyton and Mouth?" Brooke asked pointing over to the carousel where Peyton and Mouth were standing with a tall, thin girl laughing and talking. Brooke had never seen her before and couldn't figure out how Peyton knew her, after all she wasn't Peyton's usual lesbian friend pray. No, this girl had shoulder length strawberry blonde hair and was wearing a preppy little sun dress, the complete opposite of Peyton's camouflage skirt and black boy beater. From what Brooke could tell she was pretty, judging from her hair color she probably had a few freckles. And from the way she dressed she was probably a "good girl". What Brooke couldn't figure out was why she was hanging out with Peyton.

"Her names Whitney or something. She came into the café the other day looking for a job"

"Isn't she a little too, preppy for a café job?"

"We can't all be as slutty as you Brooke" Haley smiled patting Brooke's shoulder. This didn't make Brooke any happier. This girl was worse than "slutty" she was prep slut like Claire Young, and Brooke hated Claire Young. Not only that but she was definitely tall, and the only thing Brooke hated worse then prep slut girls, were tall prep slut girls.

"Slutty is in the eye of the beholder, why's she hanging out with Peyton anyway?"

"I don't know"

"Maybe she's looking for drugs" Brooke giggled, pleased with her snide comment. It was getting too easy to rag on Peyton. So much so that it was starting to take the fun out of it.

"Brooke!"

"Well, wouldn't you be if you were wearing that god awful dress?"

"Come on, lets go get something to eat" Haley sighed deciding it was probably best to get Brooke out of there. There was no telling what kind of crazy idea she'd come up with next. Clearly Brooke was still protective over who Peyton hung out with, even if they weren't friends right now.

"But"

"I'll find out more about her when she starts work ok?"

"Fine" Brooke finally said agreeing to go with Haley. What did she care anyway? It wasn't like that girl was any kind of threat. Peyton wasn't her friend anymore so she could hang out with whomever she wanted. And when it came to Lucas, Brooke figured since he had after all knocked her up (and of course loved her) that there shouldn't be any kind of problem with the new chick. At least for now.

At home Lucas tried to enjoy his last few hours of rest before school started back in full force. But as it turned out watching basketball just wasn't as much fun without Brooke whining in the background. Especially when his mom was doing the whining for Brooke. The fact that she only had 7 months to get whatever she needed to get done, done seemed to scare her into talking and planning constantly. Extra people at the café, more room in the house, less time stressing. All this talk was just giving Lucas a headache, basically because he really didn't care. He had enough to deal with right now, to be worried about what was happening 7 months from now.

"So we had a girl come into the café the other day looking for a job. You think Brooke would mind if I let her work in her place?" Karen asked as she flipped through her list of waitresses at the café. Budget was tight, and since Brooke wasn't exactly the best waitress she'd ever had, she thought maybe it was time for a new one, one who could get more done.

"I think Brooke would thank you, she hates waiting tables"

"That's true, and she doesn't ever do it that well anyway"

"She doesn't ever do it at all, she begs me to do it" Lucas laughed trying to remember just once when Brooke had actually cleaned a table. He really couldn't remember.

"You give into that girl too much, she needs to learn to do things for herself"

"I can't help it, she does that thing with her eyebrow and her lips and looks really pitiful. Besides, Brooke's fine when it comes to doing things for herself, its just gotta be something that she wants to do"

"Out of all the girls in this town Lucas, it just had to be Brooke Davis" Karen sighed rolling her eyes at her son. She joked about it a lot to him, how she'd have kept him locked in his room sophomore year if he'd known it was going to be Brooke Davis he fell in love with. But really she knew just as well as he did that love couldn't be helped.

"You can't help who you love"

"So you've said, speak of the devil"

"Hi boyfriend" Brooke smiled sitting on top of Lucas so she could kiss him. She wasn't even going to bother to ask what they'd been talking about, especially since she'd probably get drug into whatever argument they were having this week.

"Have fun shopping?"

"With Haley? No offence but I would have rather taken you shopping, then at least I'd have something to look at. Lets go do something fun now. Just you and me, please?" Brooke begged wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a few quick kisses as she begged more. This always seemed to work, although she found it kind of sad she had to beg her boyfriend to spend time with her on spring break.

"Like what?"

"Like, go get some food or go play pool"

"I've got a better idea" Lucas said finally after thinking for a second.

"Is it kinky?"

"No, but I think you'll like it"

"Don't be home late, I'm serious. School tomorrow" Karen said as Lucas took Brooke's hand in his and lead her out. Neither one of them were paying much attention to her as they left.

The beach was only 5 minutes or so from Lucas's house so they were there in no time. It was the perfect weather to walk on the beach, so Brooke and Lucas walked hand in hand for a few yards until Lucas stopped and sat down. Brooke was of course completely confused, but since Lucas was after all a hopeless romantic she didn't question him. Instead she just sat between his legs so he could wrap his arms around her, and kiss the top of her head. He was so predictable when it came to them, and she loved it.

"Why do you always bring me right here?" Brooke finally asked after they had sat there in silence for a little while. Not that the silence was bad. Brooke actually enjoyed those moments the most, when there was no talking. Just them, holding hands or playing with the other ones fingers.

"You should know why, you're the one always in this same spot"

"What?"

"The first time I remember seeing you, like really seeing you was this same spot was the summer before 9th grade. I was out here with my mom, Haley and Faith, and you were here with Peyton in some skimpy little bikini my mom thought was way to small" Lucas laughed brushing the hair out of Brooke's face as she looked up at him. Conversations like these really made him realize how little they actually knew about each other, and realize how little they had told each other.

"You were here with your mom?"

"She thought she was protecting me from girls like you, anyway so I saw you and from that second on I had the biggest crush on you. Well at least until I decided I had a bigger one on Haley. Anyway I remember telling Haley you were going to be my girlfriend and she and Faith gagged and laughed at me"

"And that's why you bring me here?"

"Can I finish?"

"Sorry" Brooke giggled leaning her head back on his shoulder. She loved hearing about how much he loved her. Not because she was selfish or greedy, just because it didn't make her feel so bad for loving him like she did.

"So then the second time, I was on my way here to tell Peyton I was in love with her. And so I got here, saw you guys by the fire, and after all that time I had spent in Charleston telling myself it was Peyton, I looked at you and I just wasn't sure anymore. So, after that I was so confused I decided I didn't need either one of you"

"That's very mature, what happened?"

"The formal happened, and I sat right here on this beach with you and realized that I'd been wrong the whole time, and that I was in love with you" Lucas whispered making Brooke smile. She always tried to think of the moment when she first knew she loved him, but she couldn't ever remember. It had all happened so fast, and then ended so fast that first time that she wasn't sure of the exact moment that it had happened like Lucas was, and it always made her feel guilty.

"And in true Lucas fashion you didn't say a word"

"Yea, you were still pretty pissed at me. Anyway then when you got back from California"

"We made out right here" Brooke whispered giving him a short but sweet kiss, and then let him finish his story.

"That's when I knew I didn't want to be with anyone else"

"You gave me the best speech I've ever gotten right here. The words _I'm the guy for you Brooke Davis_ seem to be flashing through my brain"

"Please don't" Lucas laughed as Brooke quoted from his most embarrassing speech ever. To this day he still wondered what was going through his head that night. It was probably something to do with the drinks he had had, but either way it was still embarrassing.

"Why? That's when I knew I didn't want anyone else"

"Really? Because you played that non exclusive card for a while"

"I just had to make sure you didn't want anyone else either" Brooke laughed not believing he was still this clueless. But that was ok, sometimes clueless made things more interesting for them.

"Never"

"I guess it's a good thing that's Dan's beach house behind us"

"How is that a good thing?" Lucas asked looking back behind them to see a few lights on. With his luck Dan was probably watching them or something.

"Well then one day when we're rich you can buy it from him and it can be our beach"

"Its already our beach, I don't see anyone else out here"

"That's because its March smart ass" Brooke giggled and then kissed him. But he was right, it was kinda dead out there, and the darker it got the nicer it was just the two of them. It was almost like there was no one else in the world, and nothing else mattered but that moment.

"I'm serious, it's just us"

"Hey, we tried the sex on the beach thing. Look where it got us"

"I'm not talking about that, I just like it when it's you and me" Lucas said holding her tighter. There had been a day when he wasn't sure they'd ever get to have this, and the more he thought about how close he was to not getting her back the more he loved her.

"Me too"

They sat there in silence for a little while just watching the ocean. The tide was going out and so it made the beach seem bigger and bigger every few seconds. But as nice as it was, being out there just the two of them it made Brooke start to think and wonder. How much longer would they get to have this? Was she always going to be able to sit there in his arms and feel the same way she did now?

"We only really have 7 more months of this you know" Brooke sighed putting her hand on her stomach. She wasn't really sure why she did it, in fact she'd caught herself doing it a lot the past few days. It wasn't like anything was different looking, if anything she'd lost weight with all the morning sickness.

"It's gonna be different yea, but differents not always bad"

"I know, it's just that it wont be _just _us anymore"

"Its still kind of just us. I mean we made it" Lucas said, then they both ended up laughing. Somehow that hadn't come out how he'd planned, but nonetheless it broke the tension and made Brooke ease up a little.

"That we did"

"You know what I mean? It'll be ours so maybe it won't matter"

"I hope your right" Brooke sighed sliding back farther in his arms. Right now she didn't really want to think about it anymore. She just wanted to sit there with him, on _their _beach, in their own little world, without worries or responsibilities or having to deal with life in general. Just the two of them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6! yay happy all that fun stuff! Anyway I figured I'd go ahread and put it up incase the crackwhoreish Tropical storm puts the power out or something like that lol! So I hope you guys enjoy it! Happy Brucas is always good! Please review!

"Brooke! Lucas! Its 7:00" Karen yelled knocking a few times on both Brooke and Lucas's separate bedroom doors. It was Monday morning, spring break was over and it was back to the real world for Brooke and Lucas. No more beach trips or make out sessions on the couch while Karen was gone. It was back to the world of grades, social scales, and doctor's appointments. And neither of them were ready.

"I need sleep"

"Brooke, come on you have school"

"Yea, yea I'm up" Brooke lied burring her head back into her pillow. She couldn't for the life of her understand how Karen was this perky in the morning. Brooke couldn't even slit her eyes to look at the clock, much less sit up.

"Brooke!"

"I'm getting there"

"Just because the two of you decided to get yourselves knocked up doesn't mean you aren't going to school" Karen yelled. Brooke wasn't sure if Karen was being serious or just a smart ass. Either way it wasn't amusing.

"Your moms so nice"

"Chop chop you two, you'll have all day to talk"

"What's wrong?" Lucas yawned as Brooke hid her face in his chest muscles.

"I feel like I have a hangover, only I didn't get the joy of being drunk"

"You want some breakfast?"

"No, hey you think if we like, I don't know took a shower together she'd have a heart attack?" Brooke whispered noticing that Lucas was already shirtless. If they had to go back to school today they could at least have some kind of fun before the torture began.

"Probably"

"Damn it, we did more before we were living together"

"Come on, what she doesn't know wont hurt her"

Every student at Tree Hill high was dragging by the time Brooke and Lucas got there. They met Bevin, Haley, and Rachel in their usual meeting place in my promenade, only now it was missing Peyton, Mouth and Nathan. None of them were looking forward to a full day of school. In fact no one on the grounds was, except for Erica Marsh. It'd been a while since Brooke had talked to Erica. Mostly because she was mad at her for breaking Mouth's heart, but also because she just hadn't had time. Ever since she and Lucas had gotten back together she hadn't had time for anyone other than her close circle of friends and that was fine with her. They had their group and they stuck to it. But today Erica had her own plans for who they were going to socialize with.

"Hi girls! And well Lucas"

"Erica" The group sighed, none even bothering to look the least bit happy to see her. There really wasn't any point.

"Now I want you all to meet Whitney! She's new to Tree Hill High and doesn't really know anyone. I thought we could all be friends. Now Whitney this is Bevin who you should know is currently dating Skills. And you said you knew Haley, well she's married to Nathan whose recovering from being a hero right now! How awesome is that? And then this is Rachel, she well she was dating a pedophile but he's dead now. And of course we have our own little love story here, Brooke and"

"You must be Lucas, Peyton was telling me about you" Whitney smiled, offering her hand out to shake Lucas's. Brooke and Rachel both gave each other a look of disgust. Seriously, who shook hands in high school?

"So you've met Peyton? Well that's great! She was dating single teenage dad Jake, but sadly he moved after he got out of jail"

"Why is it we always get stuck with the new weird students? Ex; Anna, Felix, Rachel"

"Hey!" Rachel snapped rolling her eyes at Brooke's comment. But she's definitely been right when she'd said this girl was weird. She was like over the top weird.

"Sorry"

"Where's Peyton? She's usually in your little group"

"Peyton was telling me about the falling out she and Brooke had" Whitney said, giving Brooke a sad sympathetic look. Brooke just wanted to strangle her.

"Falling out? What?" Bevin asked looking around confused as usual.

"Here we go"

"Yea, but don't worry! She made it clear that when you hit on her you were drunk and high, and than when you made out with her boyfriend you were drunk and high too, and it's ok. I've had friends with drug problems before. I know where you can get help. And Brooke, its ok to be a lesbian. You don't have to hide with Lucas"

"You've got to be kidding me" Brooke laughed in disbelief. She knew Peyton could go pretty low, but this was just cruel! Brooke hadn't even done anything to her.

"Wait didn't Peyton do the drugs? And Peyton kiss Anna? And didn't Peyton steal Lucas from you?" Bevin asked giving everyone a confused look.

"That's about how it went yea"

"Wow, she's better than me. Whitney is it?" Rachel asked deciding she better make nice with this girl. She was too much like her for her own good and that definitely could cause some trouble if it wasn't taken care of right now.

"Yea, and Rachel. Its ok you used to be really fat and you went over to Peyton's house and ate all her food that time and then hit on her dad. It happens"

"I'm going to kill that bitch"

"Maybe you should not listen to Peyton right now, she's having a hard time" Lucas sighed, still holding onto Brooke's waist so she couldn't tackle the poor girl. Clearly Peyton was depressed and having some issues to tell this new girl that sort of stuff.

"Wow Brooke! You're shirt is really cute! I think I have the same one from Wal-Mart"

"This is BCBG"

"Oh that's the bell. Does anyone have English Lit first? I don't know where to go" Whitney sighed looking down at the map Erica had drawn up for her. Brooke couldn't believe she hadn't seen this one coming. Of course she didn't know where her class was and of course she just had to have the same class as Lucas. Brooke even tried giving Lucas _the_ look, but being the nice guy he was. He offered to go with her.

"That'd be me. I'll see you at lunch?" Lucas asked giving Brooke a short but sweet kiss.

"She's a tool"

"She's so fake, she knew we didn't do all that stuff"

"Of course she did, and she knows we know she knew we didn't." Brooke smiled, glad that Haley and Rachel had caught onto the same thing she had. It was so perfectly planned out by Peyton that it was _too_ perfect, and so predictable.

"Then why would Peyton even bother?"

"Because Lucas doesn't know she didn't know. He's a guy; she's wearing a cute little sundress and has freckles. In his eyes she's done nothing wrong. Peyton knows Lucas is pissed at her, but he has no reason to hate the new girl"

"Damn she's sneaky" Rachel said, not believing that Peyton was capable of that sort of thing. But it didn't surprise Brooke, or Haley for that matter one bit.

"She grew up with me"

"Aren't you worried?"

"Worried? Do you think that little prim proper sundress freckle face would do ½ the stuff I did to Lucas in the shower this morning? I don't think so" Brooke smiled feeling pretty pleased with herself. For once she was actually completely secure with her and Lucas's relationship.

The first half of the day drug on and on for Brooke. History, then Spanish, then English Lit. seemed like the drug on for hours and hours. She was so bored in all 3 classes she even started doing the un-thinkable. Writing down baby names. Of course she'd never tell Lucas or Karen that she'd actually been putting any thought into this, but secretly it was kind of fun. It was like naming a puppy or something… but not. Then when she grew bored of that she started to imagine what Haley would name her and Nathan's baby. Probably something like Mary Jane or Richard. She also wondered why her parents had named her Brooke Penelope. I mean Penelope? There wasn't a worse name that is other than Eugene. She'd have to remember and make sure that she and Lucas's baby had a really good middle name.

Meanwhile Lucas's day actually went by pretty fast. As it turned out him and Whitney actually had a lot in common. She liked a lot of the same books and movies and music. Plus she somehow was in all 3 of his first classes so they had a lot of time to talk. Obviously she wasn't as easy to talk to as say Brooke, but if anything she was the complete opposite of Brooke. Very quiet and reserved, and almost shy once he started talking to her. But she was nice nonetheless. By the time lunch came around he'd actually gotten to know her pretty well, and since she didn't really know anyone other than Peyton, Lucas invited her to sit with them.

"My boyfriend! Have I ever told you how much I hate English Lit? Because I do" Brooke said giving Lucas their usual lunch kiss.

"Really? I don't think you've ever mentioned that" Lucas laughed kissing her back. They did this everyday to the point that if Brooke didn't ask him the question, he'd get worried about her.

"How can anyone hate English Lit? That's like hating reading"

"Yea, I don't do that so much either"

"How do you pass?" Whitney asked seeming sincerely confused. She actually couldn't understand how Brooke passed any of her classes from the way Lucas talked. He never said anything remotely bad about Brooke, but what he did let slip showed that Brooke was more of a party girl than a studier.

"I have a boyfriend who reads to me"

"Is that really fair?"

"He reads, I kiss. I think it's a nice trade off" Brooke smiled giving Lucas another short kiss. She hadn't ever had anyone question her and Lucas's studying system before. Not even Rachel had gone that far.

"Have I ever told you guys I think you're going to get married?" Rachel asked, so bluntly that she made Haley drop her fork in utter shock on the question.

"Um, no?"

"Yea, I don't think you have" Brooke laughed giving Rachel a good _what the hell are you doing? _Look. Little did Brooke know, Rachel had a plan. Brooke may have been secure with her and Lucas's relationship, but Rachel still didn't like that little freckleish whore hitting on Lucas. If anything that was _her_ job to cause Brooke and Lucas drama. Not Whitney's. And now that Brooke was actually her friend, it made her even madder.

"Well I mean you fit so perfectly, and you're so cute, well that and the other thing"

"Thanks Rachel, I think"

"How long have you guys been dating?" Whitney asked sitting down across from Lucas and beside Rachel at their usual table. This was the question Brooke and Lucas always dreaded. So much so they'd come up with the most generic answer ever.

"Yea it's kind of complicated"

"You don't know how long? Isn't that something couples keep track of?"

"They've been together almost a year, and if it weren't for that pesky little break up it would have been 2 years. I mean I even tried to break them up, hell I got naked for Lucas but those two are just too in love" Rachel smiled winking at Brooke and Lucas. She was being so cheesy she almost was making herself nauseous. So she knew it had to be working on Whitney.

"What is going on with her?"

"I have no idea"

"You got naked in front of him?" Whitney laughed. This hadn't been the response Rachel had been hoping for.

"Its ok, he was into Brooke. He turned me down cold"

"I don't think sex is a way to start a relationship, I mean sex isn't bad. I just think you should have more first. You know, a base, something in common. For example Lucas, when you and Brooke very first started dating. What brought you two together?"

"Um" Lucas stuttered deciding to let Brooke answer this one. He knew good and well she wouldn't lie about it. In fact she'd said one that 'stealing' his virginity as she put it, was her most proud moment.

"Sex"

"Yea pretty much"

"We liked alcohol too" Brooke giggled, then felt almost depressed. She kind of missed her alcohol. She'd been so good for months with not drinking; in fact she hadn't had a real drink in at least 6. And now that she couldn't have one… she wanted one more than ever.

"And backseats"

"Oh yea those were fun"

"That's my Brooke and Lucas! You can't have love without lust" Rachel smiled trying to make that last line as serious as possible sounding.

"Yea we definitely had the lust thing down, here want this?" Brooke asked sliding her chicken lunch over for Lucas. The smell of the gross school lunches was just too much to handle today.

"Brooke you need to eat something"

"I never realized how gross chicken was until today. I can't eat that"

"Why?" Lucas asked, kind of frustrated that Brooke wouldn't eat. He felt bad that she was having such a hard time, but he didn't want her to be worse off than she already was when it came to morning sickness and stuff.

"It smells, don't give me that look"

"Sorry, you want some ice cream or something"

"Look at that, taking care of each other already!" Rachel whispered to Whitney across the table from Brooke and Lucas.

"They look like they like each other a lot"

"Like? Those two are the most in love 17 year olds I have ever seen" Rachel smiled knowing she was getting to this girl. She was quiet for a minute so Whitney could watch Brooke and Lucas in action. Normally that disgustingly sweet thing they did at lunch everyday, where Lucas gave Brooke that "I'm never gonna be with anyone else" smile, and then kissed her on the forehead, and Brooke whispered cute stuff into Lucas's ear and giggled, made Rachel want to gag. But today, today they're cuteness was working to her advantage. What sealed the deal was when the bell rang, and Lucas walked with Brooke hand in hand to her locker, leaving Whitney sitting stunned with Rachel. Clearly this girl wasn't used to rejection.

As it turned out, Whitney actually had 5th period study hall with Lucas too. She walked in and made sure to find him right away. Next came Peyton. Normally this had bothered Brooke that Lucas and Peyton had study hall together of all periods, but my mid year she'd come to terms with it and that was that. Normally this was when Lucas and Peyton sat together and whispered about Brooke or Jake or music. That's just what they did. But today, Lucas was just hoping Peyton would go sit with Erica this morning. He really wasn't in the mood to have to explain to Brooke why they were talking. Not only that, but it wasn't fair to Brooke in the first place right now. But of course, things ever worked out exactly how Lucas wanted them too, and there came Peyton who found a seat right beside Whitney.

"Isn't this a fun little group?" Whitney asked. Lucas couldn't believe she was actually serious when she said this. He wasn't stupid, he knew how this was going to end if Peyton sat with them.

"Luke look, I'm sorry. I talked to Whitney and explained to her that everything I said was just a joke. We were listening to music the other day and I just started talking."

"It's not be you should be apologizing too"

"Luke I cant do that until she apologizes to me! Did you know she slapped me? Before she moved out she slapped me. She's crazy right now and until Brooke Davis stops playing whiney picked on cheerleader I'm not dealing with it. Believe me Lucas, this happens to us about every two years or so, we just have to have a little falling out and then it gets better" Peyton half laughed, hoping Lucas would remember all of the little fights she had Brooke had had in the past. Of course this wasn't just a _little_ fight. And she wasn't so sure that things were going to get better for them. At least not as long as one of them were with Lucas.

"Why'd she slap you?"

"What? Oh, I don't know. She was ranting about something to do with you and her"

"Then shouldn't she have slapped me?" Lucas asked, hoping Peyton would have enough dignity to at least tell the truth when it came to what had happened.

"I don't know, you know how Brooke is. Its who ever is in the line of fire"

"She does seem very needy" Whitney sighed tapping her pencil to her paper. Lucas couldn't believe he was sitting here for this. Of course Brooke was needy, but that was just part of what he loved so much about her.

"Who Brooke? You're talking about the queen of needy"

"Does she give as much as she takes Lucas?"

"What?" Lucas asked caught off guard my Whitney's question. He knew Peyton would ask some pretty blunt things, but he hadn't expected Whitney too. Especially when he didn't even know her all that well.

"I mean you do all this stuff for her, make sure she's eating right and you read to her, and who knows what else to make her happy. Does she make you happy?"

"Lucas happy?" Peyton snorted. Whitney was definitely doing good with her questions, so much so that Peyton was actually starting to feel a little guilty for doing this to Lucas, and Brooke for that matter. Even if she and Brooke weren't speaking, she still cared about her.

"For my birthday, I really wanted the Jack's Mannequin album with The Mixtape on it. I told everyone that's what I wanted, and of course I got about 6 copies. Peyton, Haley, Mouth, Rachel, my mom, Skills, they all get me the same CD. So of course I'd told Brooke a billion times that's what I wanted and I knew that's what she was going to get me. So she hands me her present and it's of course it's a CD. So I open it, and its hand made mixed CD. Brooke being Brooke of course had no idea who or what Jacks Mannequin was and made me a Mixed CD thinking it was a mixed tape. So not only that, but this CD was filled with Brooke's music. I mean terrible music like M2M and A- teens"

"Moral of this story. Lucas and Brooke have nothing in common. At all"

"No, I see what he's saying. The point was she tried, she cared about you enough to make the CD" Whitney smiled restoring all of Lucas's newfound faith in her. Peyton on the other hand couldn't believe she'd caved. No, she didn't want Whitney to hurt Brooke or Lucas, but she was supposed to be making them want to re-exam why they were together, and at least make Lucas feel like maybe there were other girls in the world other than his precious Brooke Davis.

"I listened to that damn CD for 3 days straight before I even opened my Jacks Mannequin ones"

"That's really sweet. I'm sorry I made that comment"

"Or maybe it's that Brooke was too lazy to ask me who Jacks Mannequin were" Peyton muttered pissed off at the both of them. She knew she shouldn't have used Whitney for this. She was wearing a dress with little bumblebees on it for gods sake. She wasn't going to be able to savatage relationship. She just wanted to make friends.

"Peyton"

"Sorry, I've known her longer. I guess I just know how she works. I know one thing, she's got you whipped Lucas Scott"

"And somehow, I really don't care. She can be selfish, and mean and bitter, and piss me off so bad I cant look at her. But at the end of the day it doesn't make me love her any less" Lucas said admitting the truth. He wasn't going to sit there and claim Brooke was some saint, because she wasn't. And neither was he. They'd both had their mistakes and things they regretted. What made them work was the fact they could forgive and move on.

"Because she's only human and everyone's like that, and as long as the good out weighs the bad it doesn't matter"

"Yea"

"Whatever, that's the bell. I'm going to go find some less delusional people to hang out with" Peyton sighed leaving Whitney and Lucas to go find Mouth or someone. In fact, she had almost given up on her plan to make Brooke and Lucas re-think things. At least until she saw Brooke walking down the hall to meet Lucas.

"Hey, your boy toy may not be into me, but I'd watch him with the new chick"

"Peyton, don't"

"Hey, I'm serious. If I can't have him then I at least want him with you" Peyton sighed, trying to sound sincere. Even though she really wasn't. Right now she'd rather have Lucas with anyone but Brooke.

"Oh, how generous. Move or I might have to hit on you again, and when I say hit on you, I mean that literally as in, you know I can slap"

"Brooke"

"No, I know what you're doing with that new girl and its not going to work" Brooke could barely get the words out of her mouth without yelling. How stupid did Peyton think she was? All these little games she was playing, Brooke had been the one to teach her in the first place.

Brooke waited for Peyton to get out of her way so she could go find Lucas. The so-called "Morning" sickness was now lasting through the afternoon and right now she just wanted her Lucas. She didn't have time or the energy to deal with Peyton's lies anymore. Finally after a few seconds of death stares, Peyton finally got out of the way and Brooke could see Lucas waiting for her by the door where he always did.

"Hey pretty girl" Lucas smiled kissing Brooke's forehead. He'd watched the whole Peyton encounter and figured he should do whatever he could to put her in a better mood.

"I look like crap, and I feel like I look"

"You look beautiful, but kind of pale"

"How was studyhall?" Brooke asked deciding to change the subject. She was more interested in what Lucas had done for 45 minutes with Whitney and Peyton. Not that he was going to tell her anyway, but she'd at least be able to tell something from his facial expressions.

"Educational"

"Missed me that much?"

"You have no idea" Lucas laughed giving his girlfriend another kiss. She was in a better mood already.

"What next?"

"Health, and Bio"

"Art and Chem." Brooke sighed dreading dealing with her terrible art teacher. The woman was crazy. It wasn't art unless it was paint splatters and stupid little lines all over a sheet of paper.

"You know, you can already draw, I know my sex ed and neither of us are going to be doctors"

"Lucas Scott, are you suggesting that we skip class?"

"Maybe" Lucas said giving Brooke his mischievous smile. She loved how cute he was when he did that. So cute that she'd give into to anything he asked. Sure her chem. Grade kind of sucked but hell they'd already been accepted to college.

"I've never been prouder, where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere where you'll eat something"

"You know, it's been a long gross day, and showers make me really hungry" Brooke whispered following Lucas out the backdoor of the school. It wasn't like any of the teachers cared anyway. Knowing them they'd probably encourage Brooke leaving just so they wouldn't have to deal with her in class.

"We still have a few hours before my mom gets home"

"Well then lets go get you clean Broody"


	7. Chapter 7

Yay! Chapter 7! This is probably one of my favorites! Hope you guys like it! Please R&R

"Lucas, come on. We're going to be late" Brooke whined waiting by the door. She was just ready to get this over with. There weren't any more awkward moments than these doctors' appointments. Not to mention all the fat women and screaming children they brought with them. She would rather be in History.

"What's taking him so long?"

"He over slept"

"Lucas?" Karen asked shocked because Lucas didn't usually over sleep. In fact he was usually up and ready to go before Brooke had even rolled over in the mornings.

"I wanted strawberries at like 2AM, and apparently they aren't that easy to find at that time of night"

"Brooke, he needs sleep"

"Yea and so do I, but when _his_ kid has be puking every 4 hours the least he can do is get me some freaking strawberries" Brooke whined ready to strangle Karen. She was too happy lately. Ever since she had hit her happy 16 weeks of being pregnant she had gotten on Brooke's last nerve. Everything was smiles and singing and happiness. It made Brooke, who was feeling completely miserable still want to gag.

"Are you wearing that?"

"Yea, why?"

"Its just, maybe you should dress a little more conservative for this" Karen whispered pulling the straps of Brooke's tank top up so she was showing less cleavage.

"Karen I'm 17 and pregnant, they're already gonna think I'm a whore"

"Have you talked to your parents yet?"

And there it was. Karen had been on Brooke for the past few days to call her parents, and fill them in. She'd given her complete lectures on how important it was to keep them in the loop. But Brooke wasn't stupid. She knew what her parents would do if they found out. They'd try and get her to come back home and have an abortion. A baby under the age of 30 in her family just wasn't acceptable. And if she refused that, then they'd basically stop her cash flow and disown her. So the way Brooke saw it. They never had to know. And sure, Karen may have been good at her lectures about it… but little did she know, Brooke was just as good at lying.

"I called them last night" Brooke lied, putting on the most sincere, sad face she could muster praying that Karen fell for it.

"And how did they take it?"

"They were mad, but they said as long as I didn't bother them with it or tell any of their friends they wouldn't butt in."

"That's it?" Karen asked a little surprised there wasn't more. But then when she really thought about it, it made sense. Brooke's parents didn't exactly care what she did as long as it didn't bother them.

"My parents aren't really hands on"

"Well I know that but, still. I'm glad you told them. Isn't that a weight off your chest?"

"You have no idea, thanks Karen" Brooke said putting on her fakest smile.

"No problem sweetie"

"Ok lets go" Lucas yawned grabbing his bookbag. He wasn't sure how he was going to make it through the day today. Especially his test in bio he hadn't studied for yet.

"Remember to write down that they say"

"Ok"

"And save the picture they give you" Karen yelled as they walked out the door. She knew she was getting on Brooke's last nerve but these were things they were going to be glad they had in the future.

"And I'll make sure to take pictures of Lucas with the doctor for you"

The doctor's office was boring as usual. Brooke sat there, trying to avoid the graphic, almost terrifying pictures they had in the magazines. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why they'd even put those out for people to see. I mean it was bad enough her having to look at them but poor Lucas's face when completely pale when he saw them. Lucas was one of those guys who didn't do blood, or gore or anything gross for that matter.

"I'm sorry I made you get me strawberries at 2AM" Brooke said, feeling kind of guilty for making him stay up so late. Every few seconds she'd see his eyes close, and then open back really fast. She could only imagine what school was going to be like for him today.

"That's what I'm here for"

"I know, but I feel bad. You look so tired. We have one of those stupid senior seminars today so you can sleep through it"

"Lets just be glad my mom's 16 weeks now and she doesn't get the cravings anymore" Lucas yawned putting his arm around Brooke. He didn't want her to feel guilty about anything she asked him to do. He'd seen how miserable she'd been the past few weeks and couldn't even imagine what it was like to throw up every couple hours.

"So true, but she is getting pretty fat"

"Lucas? Brooke?" Brooke and Lucas both turned around hearing their names called out. Who other than Whitney was standing there in the doorway grinning from ear to ear waving. Lucas waved and smiled back but Brooke just wanted to crawl in a hole somewhere and hide. She wasn't exactly ready for the whole school to know she was pregnant.

"Oh god"

"What are you two doing, wait. Oh My God. I'm so sorry!"

"Um, thanks? I think" Lucas said trying to figure out what the right response for a statement like that was. He was never sure how he was supposed to act when people mentioned things about Brooke being pregnant to him.

"I had no idea! Are you here for a… a-b-o-r-t-i-o-n?"

"Um, no"

"Oh so your keeping it" Whitney asked. She seemed really shocked. The look on her face gave Brooke some kind of sick pleasure. It was one of _Lucas Scott? Sweet Lucas? Get a girl pregnant? Never!_ Of course not that it had been all Lucas's fault. It definitely had taken the two of them to make the baby, and neither had complained while it was happening.

"Yea?"

"Oh, well wow"

"Brooke Davis" The nurse called from the doorway. Brooke and Lucas had never been so happy to hear Brooke's name called out. Lucas wasn't sure how much more of that awkwardness he could take.

"Thank god"

"Ok we'll I'll see you two at school"

The rest of the visit was as uncomfortable as ever. Brooke had never realized what pregnant women had to go through. Maybe if they had explained this part in sex-ed she might have thought twice about having sex. But it all went by fast enough and before she knew it, it was almost over. Last but not least was the ultrasound. This was the part that creeped Brooke out. The fact they could see inside her, plus the gross jelly they put on her stomach was almost too much to handle.

"Yep, you're about 7-8 weeks" The doctor said moving the ultra sound around Brooke's stomach. Brooke was looking as hard as she could at the screen but so far she could make out nothing. It all just looked like a bunch of black and gray nothingness and it was semi depressing.

"That's all?"

"Yep, see that right there? About the size of a cherry?"

"No" Brooke sighed still trying to make out what he was talking about. There were a lot of things that looked like they could be about the size of a cherry.

"Right there"

"Right where?"

"There, that's your baby" The doctor said pointing to the exact spot on the screen. Brooke still wasn't sure she saw it, but it was getting kind of pointless looking. As long as he was sure it was in there she'd believe him. It wasn't like she had any other choice.

"That's what's making me sick and my clothes fit tight"

"Yep"

"How long before I get fat?" Brooke asked dreading the answer. So far she couldn't actually tell any difference other than her jeans a little tighter. And her boobs were definitely a size bigger which made things kind of hard, but other than that she hadn't had any problems.

"Well it's your first baby so somewhere between 16-20 weeks"

"Oh joy"

"Well the baby looks good, Brooke you look great. You've been taking very good care of yourself. Is the morning sickness bad?" The doctor asked but both Brooke and Lucas's looks said it all.

"It's more like all the time sickness"

"The good news is that should be gone in a few weeks, ok well call if you need anything. Lucas living with 2 pregnant women, I wish you luck. Brooke, here's a picture"

"Thanks" Brooke smiled trying to be as nice as possible. She wasn't exactly sure why he was giving her a picture. It wasn't like there was anything to see. In fact it just made her more depressed looking at it.

"And Lucas, she's at that stage where her hormones should be nice and screwed up. One second she may be crying and the next laughing. Again, good luck."

Lucas thanked the doctor and then went back to where Brooke was lying back on the table staring at the picture. She had a really uneasy sad look on her face. Almost like she was going to cry. Lucas was almost scared to ask why, lately the slightest thing would set her off. But on the off chance it was something important, he decided to ask.

"Brooke what's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"Brooke" Lucas sighed brushing her hair out of her face. She was definitely about to cry.

"It just doesn't look like a baby, I thought we were actually going to get to see it look like a baby this time"

"You're only like 8 weeks pregnant"

"Yea but the internet said it was supposed to have like ears and stuff, what if it doesn't? What if something's wrong and" Brooke wasn't sure what was wrong with her. Here she was babbling on about something she'd really tried not to care that much about or put that much thought into. So what if it didn't look like a baby? She couldn't figure out why this was bothering her so much.

"Brooke, it will ok? I promise. And since when do you research this kind of stuff"

"I was bored, and contrary to popular belief, I don't hate our baby. I do like to know what's going on with it"

"Who says you hate it?" Lucas asked but he already knew who the culprit was. He knew his mother had been saying stuff to Brooke even though she denied it.

"Your mom has this whole idea since I don't spend hours talking about it or planning for it like she and Haley do, I somehow hate it or don't want it. We both know if I didn't want it I wouldn't be having it"

"Brooke, look at me. Promise me you wont listen to my mother anymore ok? No one thinks you hate the baby. My mothers a lunatic, you know that"

"Yea" Brooke agreed, not bothering to defend Karen. She'd let him be right on this one.

"Ok, come here. I love you, you know that?" Lucas whispered pulling her into his chest. When his mom at been at this point she'd just been annoying. Crying at every stupid little thing, but with Brooke, he felt terrible for her. There was nothing worse then seeing her cry, especially when there wasn't anything he could do to help.

"Yea"

"Lets go to school, we can both sleep through our seminar"

The first thing Whitney Johnston did when she got to school was friend her newfound friend Peyton. The news she had to tell her was just too good to keep a secret. Brooke Davis was pregnant. It didn't take her long to find Peyton sitting at one of the tables at the promenade listening to her ipod, and took her even less time to tell her.

"So remember how I told you I was doing an internship at the OB clinic?" Whitney asked as she and Peyton walked to the gym for the senior seminar.

"Yea?"

"So guess who's pregnant"

"Um, I don't know Tim?" Peyton laughed, trying to imagine who out of the whole student body it could be. Really it could have been anyone, since it was after all Tree Hill.

"Brooke Davis"

"What?"

"I saw her and Lucas in there this morning. And apparently they're keeping the baby" Whitney whispered, making sure no but Peyton could hear.

"You're kidding me?"

"Nope"

"Oh my god" Peyton couldn't believe it. I mean yea, now that she knew it made a lot of since but she was still shocked. And a little hurt that Brooke hadn't said anything to her. Not that she'd given Brooke a chance. But still, part of her hurt that Brooke hadn't told her, and the other part wished it was her. That she was the one having Lucas's baby. And suddenly all her old anger was back. It could have been her, and if she hadn't of given Brooke the ok. Maybe it would have been her.

"I know, I felt so bad for them. Do you think we should put together a care package or something?"

"No, I've got a better idea"

Every year at Tree Hill High comes a seniors worst nightmare. The one class that changed a student's whole view on life. The one class that took over an entire week. Some students like for example Whitney Johnston loved it. They looked forward to it from the time they were freshmen. Then there were the ones like Brooke Davis, who would rather have been shot then to have to actually complete this class. Home Ec meets Health and Development.

"So basically what I'll be doing is paring each of you up with a partner, then you'll be given an electronic baby to carry around for an entire week. You must care for this baby like it were real. Feed it, change diapers, get up with it when it cries. If all of this is done you will receive A's, and if not you'll be repeating this class again and again until you master it"

"You have to be kidding me. Shouldn't we be like exempt from this?" Brooke whined, not believing how much this sucked. She couldn't believe they were actually making them do this. The way she saw it she, Rachel, Haley, Nathan and Lucas should have definitely been exempt from this one.

"You'd think so, maybe it'll be good practice"

"Or maybe it'll be slow death. God, lets just hope we get paired up together"

"Peyton Sawyer and" The teacher started and Brooke felt her stomach sink. She knew what was coming after that and. Lucas Scott. That's just how her life worked.

"Please don't say Lucas, please don't say Lucas"

"Zack Herrmann"

"Thank god" Brooke let out a huge sigh of relief. Anyone was better than Peyton.

"Haley James and Nathan Scott, Rachel Gatina and Tim Smith, Whitney Johnston and Lucas Scott"

"Someone really hates us" Rachel sighed burying her head in her hands.

"Brooke Davis and Mouth McFadden. Everyone please come and pick up your babies at the tables set up, and each senior has the rest of the day off to play mom and dad"

"At least we can go get some lunch" Lucas said helping Brooke down from the bleachers. He had a point. They did get the whole rest of the day off to do whatever they pleased; only they had to carry the stupid babies with them.

"Well Lucas I guess we're parents" Whitney smiled meeting Lucas at the bottom on the bleachers with their baby. Brooke was trying so hard not to laugh. Whitney already had on the backpack to carry the baby in and a diaper bag like she was going to have to actually do something.

"Hey mighty Mouth"

"We got a boy"

"That figures, you can name him" Brooke laughed looking at the beat up plastic baby. Whoever had had that baby before them had definitely done a number on it, so maybe it wouldn't matter if she did the same.

"I've got an interview until 12, so can you take him?"

"Mouth"

"Please?" Mouth seemed serious as he asked, so Brooke couldn't say no. Then how hard could this really be? It was a plastic doll that cried. There had to be some secret button to turn it off somewhere.

"Fine, but after 12 he's so yours"

"Thanks Brooke"

"So I've named our daughter Jade Lynn, but we can call her Lynn. I'll take her now, my parents will want to see her. Then I'll meet you at the café at 12?" Whitney asked, not exactly giving Lucas a chance to say no.

"Sure"

"She's taking this a little seriously isn't she?"

"Tim! No! Tim, stop touching our baby! Damn it! It's a baby!" Rachel yelled chasing after Tim through the gym.

"It could be worse I guess"

Brooke and Lucas spent the rest of the morning in the café eating and hanging out. It amazed Lucas how out of every item on the menu, and offering to make her anything Brooke still couldn't find something that seemed good to eat. She'd decided that she definitely wasn't eating chicken anymore, and anything green was iffy. Hamburgers seemed too greasy or bland, and the smell of eggs was enough to make her gag. So instead she decided to figure out how to turn her stupid baby off.

"Lucas, this thing sucks. What does it want now?" Brooke whined handing her 'baby' to Lucas. All the stupid thing did was cry and whine and make stupid cooing sounds that sounded sexual. It was enough to send anyone over the edge.

"A diaper change?"

"Its not real! This is ridiculous"

"Look Lynn! Its your daddy" Whitney said, waving to Brooke and Lucas from the doorway. Brooke couldn't help but laugh at this one. This girl was just too much.

"Speaking of ridiculous, she talks to that thing?"

"It has some kind of censors or something"

"So how's motherhood Whitney?" Brooke asked, deciding to play nice for a little while, to see how far this girl would really go with this. Brooke was waiting for her to pull out pictures of her first diaper change and bottle-feeding.

"It's wonderful, I mean I know the baby isn't real but I can't wait to be a mom one day, ya know?"

"Yea, no I really never had that feeling. Damn it shut up you crackwhore baby! I swear I will throw you again"

"Again?" Whitney asked, stunned by the way Brooke was holding her doll upside down looking for the off button.

"Mother daughter falling out on the way here"

"Brooke isn't your baby supposed to be a boy?"

"It's a transvestite baby ok? There were no cute clothes for the boy babies" Brooke said, giving up and handing the baby back to Lucas. Who actually stopped its crying with-in 2 seconds of getting it.

"You know Brooke, this could be a really good learning experience for you. These babies are very similar to real ones in certain aspects."

"See, I plan on carrying this baby for 9 months, and then after I have to give birth to it. It's all Lucas's. So you better hope this baby's a boy. Damn it Lucas, shut this thing up"

"What about when the baby has to be nursed?" Whitney asked. Brooke wasn't sure what she meant. Nursed like nursed back to health? Or something else?

"What?"

"Fed"

"It's called a bottle, I think Lucas can handle it" Brooke smiled giving Lucas a few pats on the cheek. Lucas didn't even bother saying anything, although he did wonder where the girl who was worried about her baby having ears this morning had suddenly disappeared too.

"Brooke, you have to breast feed"

"Um, no I really don't. Oh thank god its 12:00! I can take Mouth his evil spawn from hell back now. I'll be back"

"She's um, good luck" Was all Whitney could think to say after Brooke had left. She'd never seen anything like it before.

"She's all talk"

"You sure about that? She seems pretty adamant"

"She carries the ultra sound picture around in her wallet and has a list of baby names hidden under her pillow. The fact that she doesn't drink and actually listens to the doctor is a miracle in itself" Lucas laughed, but it wasn't really worth trying to explain Brooke to anyone. She had her way to deal with things and yea they weren't like most peoples but that's just how she coped.

"Then why does she act so pissed off about it"

"She's scared, and rather than admit that, she'd rather hide it with jokes and mean comments. Truthfully, I'm surprised she's doing this well with it"

"But why keep it? Why not just do adoption or something" Whitney asked, still trying to figure out why anyone would keep a baby at 17. It just didn't make any since to her.

"Because we both have some issues with our parents not really wanting us"

"Right, you're dad. What's your mom think about this?"

"Obviously she's not happy, but the same thing happened with her so she's trying to be supportive" Lucas said. Although he was starting to question his moms 'supportiveness' a little bit lately.

"And Brooke's parents?"

Brooke met up with Mouth at the river court at exactly 12. She was so ready to hand over this crying piece of plastic to him and let him feel the pain. Of course as always Mouth was about 15 minutes late and she was ready to burn that poor baby by the time he finally got out.

"Hey, sorry it lasted longer than I thought it would" Mouth said, giving Brooke that smile he always gave to her, the one that always broke her heart. The whole world knew Mouth was in love with her, including her. She just wasn't able to love him back. At least not the way he loved her. And because of that she always tried to be extra sensitive when she was around him.

"Its ok, you can take our child now"

"Did you name him?"

"Nope, he's all yours" Brooke laughed handing Mouth the doll. She was guessing Mouth had probably put a lot of thought into a name and didn't want to ruin it for him by suggesting her own. She'd get to do the real thing in 7 months anyway.

"We could do it together"

"Ok, what do you have in mind?"

"Rob?" Mouth asked shyly. Brooke could see that as she had thought, he had actually put some thought into naming their doll and even though Rob reminded her of her 7th grade boyfriend, she decided to let him have it.

"Rob? Ok sure"

"If you don't like it"

"Its good, Mouth can we talk?" Brooke asked sitting down the bleachers. She had a feeling this might be a sit down conversation.

"Sure"

"Whitney found out something today, and she's probably already told Peyton. I'd rather you hear it from me then have to hear it though the grapevine"

"What's wrong?" Mouth asked. Brooke could seen the genuine worry on his face and the guilt hit her. Hard. She hated to tell Mouth this because she knew it was going to break his heart. Not only that but he was going to be so disappointed in her.

"I'm pregnant"

"Oh" Was all Mouth said. Then there was a long pause. It was driving Brooke crazy. She wished he'd at least say something. Anything.

"Mouth?"

"Are you keeping it?"

"Yea" Brooke whispered. She could see his face drop even more as she said it.

"Brooke you don't even like kids. I mean if this is something Lucas is making you do"

"I love Lucas, that boy is everything to me and I'd do anything in this world for him if he asked me. But I don't want you to think I'm doing it for him. I mean yea, if he didn't want it I might be re-thinking some things. I'm doing it because I think it's the best thing to do in a bad situation"

"You're 17" Mouth said. Brooke could see him growing madder and madder. She didn't know what else to say. She knew every word she said was hurting him but she couldn't lie to him.

"I know"

"What if he's not the one? And you've ruined your life because you made a mistake"

"We're decided not to use the word mistake so much as just say things happen for a reason. I wish it hadn't happened, I wish I were older and more ready and had money and was married. But I'm not, and I can wish all I want but it's not going to change anything" Brooke whispered trying the best she could to get him to understand.

"But Brooke, it's a baby. Are you really ready for that?"

"I don't have a choice but to be Mouth. It's not this poor kids fault its parents were stupid and forgot a condom once or twice."

"I think you're making a mistake" Mouth sighed; giving Brooke one of the worst looks she'd ever seen. So much for Mouth being supportive about the whole thing.

"I know you do, and you don't have to like our decision Mouth. I just wanted to tell you in person"

"You can keep this. You're gonna need the practice anyway." Mouth muttered handing Brooke back the doll. She figured she probably shouldn't say anything else, maybe he'd come around with some time. Now she just felt terrible, but at least she knew. Next on her list. Her parents.

Karen was busy working in the kitchen when the phone rang. She was mopping so hard that she almost didn't answer it, but worried it might be something important, so she stopped what she was doing and picked it up. Surprisingly it was Brooke's mom.

"Hi Karen, may I speak to Brooke?"

"I think she and Lucas are out, want me to tell her to call you back?" Karen asked, surprised that Brooke's mom didn't just hang up like she usually did.

"I was just wondering if she was staying there this summer or coming here. Her father and I are starting to make our summer plans"

"As far as I know she's staying here. The morning sickness has been getting to her pretty bad and flying even then probably wont be very comfortable" Karen said, wondering why Brooke and her mom hadn't talked about this earlier when Brooke had called her.

"Morning sickness?"

"Yea, the doctor told her it was normal though. Young girls with their first babies usually have a hard time with it. I know I did with Lucas"

"First babies?" Brooke's mom asked

"This is her first baby…"

"Brooke's pregnant?"


	8. Chapter 8

Ok you guys here's chapter 8! I hope you guys enjoy it! I'm working on chapter 17 right now and having some serious writers block sadly haha... its kind of sad. As ALWAYS we must thank Kaela... because without her I would have writers block for EVERY chapter haha... and you guys! Thanks sooo much because without you guys I'd really have no reason to write at all! lol! So please R&R!

By Friday afternoon all the seniors at Tree Hill High were more than ready to give back their electronic children, except for a select few. Haley was more than glad to give up her baby since Nathan was still hurt and hadn't helped at all. Even so, she'd still passed with a low A. Rachel and Tim on the other hand hadn't done as well. In fact Rachel wasn't even sure where Tim had put the baby after the first day and so she was stuck re-taking the class the next week. Lucas and Whitney had of course passed with flying colors, and since Whitney had been such a protective mother, Lucas had barely had to do anything with the doll except when Whitney was working. Although he wasn't sure if it was really worth the tears she shed when she had to give the doll back. Then there was Brooke and Mouth. Since Mouth had decided he wasn't speaking to Brooke, that meant she was alone with the task of an electronic doll. Which all turned out to be pretty ok once she found the reset button and set it so it looked as if she had be the perfect parent.

Brooke Davis may have been posing as the perfect parent. But as the perfect daughter, she was lacking. At least in the eyes of her parents. As far as Brooke knew her parents were clueless about her life, and she liked it that way. They didn't interfere, they didn't tell her what to do; they didn't even ask what she'd been up to when they occasionally called. They just sent her a check every month and that was the end of it. That's why it was such a shock to her to find her mother sitting in the living room when she got home that Friday afternoon.

"What are you doing here?" Brooke asked in complete shock. If she hadn't been so stunned she might have noticed the look on her mothers face and known exactly what she was doing here.

"Brooke you said you told them"

"Pregnant young lady? I can't believe you could be that stupid! I mean you've done some things in the past but this, this will not be tolerated. Not only have you screwed up your own life, but this time this Lucas boys too!"

"In her defense it took two" Karen said, hating to see Brooke get blamed for everything. Sure she didn't like the fact that Brooke was pregnant but Karen had never been so stupid to lay all the blame on one of them. It took two to make a baby.

"Could my daughter and I have a minute?"

"Of course"

"Do you know the embarrassment you have caused your father and I? Do you know what people will say? The jobs your father will lose all because you went out and got yourself pregnant? We didn't raise you to be a whore Brooke!" Brooke's mom yelled, clearly not caring who heard this fight. She was pissed, more pissed than Brooke had ever seen her and that scared Brooke.

"I'm sorry"

"You're sorry? Sorry isn't good enough this time Brooke! You're a stupid selfish girl! How could you do this?"

"I didn't plan it mom, it just happened" Brooke cried, not able to hold back the tears any longer. She didn't know what else to say. She hadn't wanted this. No one had wanted this, but it had happened and there was nothing to do to change it.

"It happened because you were running around with that boy! I knew I should have never let you stay here. You wait until your father finds out"

"You didn't tell him?"

"Are you kidding? He would have come down here and killed you himself. I've come to make you a compromise" Brooke mother said, calming down a little. Brooke wasn't sure if this made her feel better for worse. Her mother wasn't one for compromise. She was known for tricking people into doing things that they didn't want too.

"You don't compromise"

"You come back home, have an abortion, your father never has to know"

"What?" Brooke asked. Like she said her mom didn't compromise, but usually she was at least more convincing than this.

"Brooke I will tolerate my 17 year old daughter having a baby!"

"No"

"What?" Brooke's mom asked. Obviously shocked by her daughters answer.

"I said no. I'm not doing it"

"You're crazy if you think I am supporting you and some kid"

"Then don't, but I'm not going home" Brooke said as calm as she could to keep from crying anymore. Her mom wasn't worth the tears.

"Why not? Damn it!"

"Because I'm not you! You may have been ok with having an abortion every 2 months until you found the one you wanted but I'm not playing that game! I did this and now I'm going to live with it"

"The one I wanted? Brooke I didn't want any kids, we just found out about you too late. Do you think any of our friends had kids? Any of our friends were changing diapers or planning college funds?" Her mom asked, yelling again. That was something Brooke had never known, but it didn't exactly shock her. Still shock or no shock, it still hurt finding out you were just the one the doctor missed.

"Like you ever changed a diaper"

"Think about what you're doing Brooke. Whose lives you're ruining. Do you think this boy is going to stay with you? When he goes to college and meets other girls? Then you'll be left with some kid"

"Lucas isn't like that!" Brooke yelled getting more pissed off by the second. It was one thing to blame her for this stuff, but not Lucas. If it hadn't been for Lucas she'd still be benefiting with guys like Felix.

"He cheated on you once before. Don't think I don't remember you crying for days over this boy. Then you spending all last summer pining over him! He doesn't even have any money Brooke!"

"Money. That's all you care about. If some millionaires son had knocked me up we'd be having a completely different conversation"

"But it wasn't some millionaires son now was it?" Brooke's mother asked calming her tone down again.

"I love him you know"

"Well love doesn't give him the money to support you now does it?"

"You know, you're right? Why would I want to be with someone I love over someone who as Money? I mean then I'd miss out on being as happy as you and dad are" Brooke shot back with everything she had. This would be enough right here to throw her mother over the deep end, but if that's what it took to get her to leave then Brooke had to try it.

"Yes, but our money has made you very happy now hasn't it?"

Karen waited in the kitchen listening to the whole argument. She'd always liked Brooke ok, but always had that feeling that maybe Lucas could do better, at least until now. As she stood there listening to Brooke defend herself the way most adults wouldn't dare, and then defend her choices and the boy she loved. Karen suddenly understood exactly why Brooke was the way she was, and started to think maybe Lucas was the one who needed to mature a little bit to be with her. Any fear she had had about Brooke having the baby was now gone. She knew she was hearing things that Brooke would never want heard. Things that had clearly shaped Brooke into the person she was today. And right then at that moment. Karen Rowe decided there would never be a better girl for her son than Brooke Davis.

Lucas spent the day at the river court with the guys. Brooke had made him promise that he'd go do something fun today instead of watching her design her latest clothing line. So after a few minutes of arguing since Lucas really didn't like to leave Brooke alone, he gave in and went to play ball, or at least watch them play. But after sitting the guys down and telling them about Brooke, there hadn't been much ball playing. Just the guys sitting around talking like they used too, minus Mouth. Lucas was actually glad he hadn't been there. After Brooke had told him what he said the other night, it had taken everything in him for Lucas not to say something to him for upsetting Brooke so bad.

"I can't believe Mouth would say something like that to Brooke dawg" Skills said obviously still in shock that their friend would so something like that. After all he was just Mouth, and yea he'd always been kind of jealous of Lucas for being with Brooke, but none of them had ever imagined he'd be that cruel to her.

"I can, I mean the guys clearly in love with her"

"I just don't know what to say to him"

"You tell him to stop upsetting your girlfriend" Junk said in all seriousness. Lucas was surprised at the way they were all defending Brooke over Mouth. It wasn't like they had all welcomed her with open arms at first. And even after that they hadn't bothered to really get to know her.

"I don't want to make him mad though, I mean he cant help he's in love with her anymore than I can help I'm in love with her"

"Yea but dawg she clearly loves you back. There is boundaries man. Like if anyone of you thought about moving in on Bevin, don't think I wouldn't kick your ass's"

"But he's Mouth" Lucas sighed still not sure what to do. All of this was getting so complicated. Lucas had heard a million times that all it took was one night, one night for everything to get completely screwed up and haywire. He'd just never imagined it would be this hard on everyone around him.

"Did Brooke think twice about giving up Peyton for you?"

"No"

"Think about that next time" Junk said slapping Lucas on the back. Lucas had never really thought about it that way. He'd always felt a little guilty for choosing to spend 99 of his free time with Brooke instead of his friends. Like he was betraying them or something. But Brooke had never thought that way, in fact she'd given up almost everyone for him. Peyton, her parents, Mouth.

"So, are you scared?"

"I'm terrified. Every time Brooke looks funny or steps wrong it scares the hell out of me"

"See now that's love dawg, so when are you gonna marry this girl" Skills asked, giving Lucas a knot in his stomach. Marriage? He hadn't even thought about it, at least not seriously. He was barely 18, and Brooke hadn't even had her birthday yet. They weren't ready for marriage.

"Marriage? Maybe when I'm old enough to drink at my own wedding"

"You wouldn't do it now? Luke, that's not a good sign"

"I'd marry her now if I thought she'd say yes. But I don't want to do it while she's pregnant, ya know? I don't want her to think that's the only reason" Lucas said, and that was the complete truth. He wouldn't do that to Brooke, knowing good and well how un-sure that would make her for the rest of her life.

"Well dawg whatever happens I still expect to be uncle Skillz, cause this poor kids gonna need someone to teach it how to play a descent game of street ball"

"You got it, I better get home and see if she or my mom needs anything"

"Hey, and don't keep keeping this stuff from us man, we're you friends"

Back at home the battle between Brooke and her mom was still raging. It was getting so bad there were a few times Karen thought about asking Linda to leave. She'd never heard a mother talk so bad to her own daughter. Karen's own parents had been harsh when she got pregnant, but nothing remotely close to how Linda was treating Brooke. Finally, it happened. The words came that Karen had to step in and say something.

"That's it. You're coming home"

"No"

"I'm not giving you a choice" Linda said taking Brooke by the arm. She wasn't giving her daughter a choice in the matter.

"You can't make me"

"You're 17 years old! Until you're 18th birthday I can make you do whatever I want!"

"Linda I think you should go" Karen said finally cutting in to the argument. Enough was enough. In fact, she was now wishing she hadn't let it go on this long.

"Not without my daughter Karen"

"You can't make her"

"Watch me, she's still a minor" Linda laughed, taking Brooke's arm again. There was no way she was leaving this side of the country without Brooke.

"Not anymore she's not"

"What?"

"It doesn't matter how old you are, the second you get pregnant in this state you become an adult. Technically Brooke doesn't have to do anything you or I tell her too anymore" Karen said, causing Linda to drop Brooke's arm in complete shock. She obviously hadn't been prepared to hear what Karen had just told her.

"Really? Well lets see how much she does when I explain to her that adults don't get their parents money anymore. How's that Brooke? You stay you aren't my child anymore. No more money, no more benefits. Nothing but what's already in your name"

"Its not like you ever treated me like your child anyway"

"Fine, you see how life is without money. And don't come crawling back to me with that kid once you realize how much it sucks" Linda said grabbing her purse. Brooke watched and tried to hold back her tears. None of this was fair. Sure her mother was a bitch but she still loved her. It was one of those unfortunate things that couldn't be helped she guessed. She still missed her while she was in California, and she still wished she were here to do things like get her ready for prom or give her advice. But now Brooke was stuck in between being the daughter, and the one-day mother and neither one was working out very well for her.

"I think you should go now"

"Fine. As far as I'm concerned she's your problem now"

Brooke watched as her mother left, and then just stood there for a second with Karen. It seemed like just as fast as her mother had gotten there, she was gone and completely out of her life. Maybe forever, and Brooke wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad. It was a lot to take in and with her hormones as crazy as they were she couldn't help but cry.

"Brooke, come here. Its for the best"

"I know, I just- She's my mom"

"She wasn't acting like a mom. I'm proud of you, you know that?" Karen asked hugging Brooke as tight as she could without smooshing her small but obvious belly.

"For yelling at my mother?"

"For standing up to her, there aren't many adults who would do what you did just now, much less teenagers"

"I didn't have a choice Karen, what she wanted me to do. I couldn't do that to Lucas" Brooke said trying to explain herself. She knew she didn't have too, at least not with Karen but she still felt like she needed too.

"Brooke, we haven't really talked about this whole thing. You're doing what you want right? Not what Lucas wants"

"I don't exactly _want_ this Karen, but I want it more than my other options. I wont have an abortion. And as for adoption, I don't think I could leave a baby out there wondering why I didn't want it. So I don't really have a choice do I?"

"Its big of you to realize that. And you know I'm there right? For anything" Karen sighed giving Brooke a small smile. She was telling Brooke the exact words she'd wished her parents had told her 18 years ago, hoping that maybe it would help Brooke have an easier time with this then she had had.

"Not many moms would say that to their sons pregnant girlfriend"

"I'm not stupid Brooke, I know it takes two. And I've lived it. It's the hardest thing you're ever going to do"

"It was worth it though right?" Brooke asked counting on Karen to give her an answer to at least make her feel a little better.

"I wouldn't change a thing"

When Lucas got home, the house was dark and quiet. His mom was asleep on the couch with a Parenting magazine resting on her stomach. Lucas couldn't wait for the day that Brooke had one of those in her hand. He'd have to make sure to have a camera ready. Down the hall Brooke wasn't in her bedroom as usual, she was in his, laying on his bed sketching or writing, he couldn't tell which.

"Hey pretty girl" Lucas yawned laying down on the bed next to Brooke. Sure enough she was sketching some kind of dress and had pencil all over her hands and on her cheek.

"Hey, how was basketball?"

"It was good to see the guys. How was spending the afternoon with my mom?"

"It was good actually" Brooke said laying down her paper for now. She figured she had better talk to Lucas now so his mom didn't get to him first. For once she wasn't sure how Lucas was going to re-act and that scared her. On one hand he should be happy, after all she had chosen him over everyone else. But then she had also lied to him about a lot when it came to her parents too.

"Really?"

"We should talk"

"This doesn't sound good" Lucas sighed getting comfortable. Brooke had that look she always got right before she told him something that would end up being one of their 2 hour conversations.

"Its not"

"You know I can hear you without your lips an inch away from mine, it makes it kind of hard to concentrate"

"You're gonna want me to kiss you after this" Brooke smiled sliding in even closer. She had this theory that as long as he was in kissing range he couldn't get but so mad, and if he did she could just use her girly ways and kiss him until he was less mad. After all it had worked the time she'd accidentally backed his car into a pole at the piggly wiggly, and that time she had again, accidentally of course, told his mom a few too many details involving their sex life.

"Or you could just kiss me now"

"Lucas, this is important"

"I'm listening" Lucas said hearing how serious her tone was.

"So remember when I told you and your mom that I told my parents and they were basically ok with everything and such"

"Yea"

"And remember how you cheated on me with Peyton and did a lot of lying?" Brooke asked figuring it couldn't hut to remind Lucas of the lying he had done in the past. After all her little lie wasn't nearly as big as his big one.

"Brooke…"

"Sorry, ok so I didn't exactly tell my parents"

"Ok?" Lucas asked, really not all that surprised. He figured if Brooke had told them she would have been a lot more upset then she was when she 'supposedly' got off the phone with them. Brooke was one of those kids who loved her parents more than they did her, and it couldn't really be helped. She had told Lucas a million times she didn't miss them or care what they were doing. But he could always see the sad look in her eyes when she talked about them.

"Yea, and your mom kind of accidentally did"

"Ah"

"Yea, and my mom kind of freaked big time" Brooke sighed waiting for the fall out. Lucas had every right to be mad, after all she'd told him she had told them. And he had told his mom without any lying or avoiding it.

"I'm sorry babe" Was all Lucas said, and then he kissed her on the nose. Definitely not what Brooke had been expecting, but then he was Lucas. He didn't get 'mad' about much. He was probably the most understanding person she knew. Now it was time to break it to him about their financial situation.

"I just didn't think she'd go as far as she did"

"What happened?"

"She wanted me to come home, and basically forget any of it ever happened. So I told her no and she told me she never wanted to see me again and" Brooke tried to finish but Lucas cut in.

"I'm sorry, are you ok?"

"Well other than the fact that that $1000 a month she was sending is now gone"

"I didn't ask if the money was ok, I asked if you were ok" Lucas said brushing her hair out of her face.

"Lucas, that's a lot of money, a lot of money that we need"

"I'm not worried about the money, we'll make it work"

"How? Lucas we were barely dealing with it as it was, and we have school so its not like we can get real jobs" Brooke said trying to get this to go through his head. She wasn't sure he understood all of this and the situation it put them in.

"Brooke, we'll make it work ok? I promise. Now are _you_ ok?"

"I guess. It just sucks, I mean she's my mom, bitch or not. Same with Peyton. She's my best friend and Mouth. Lucas as pathetic as it sounds… you're all I have right now"

"Why is that so pathetic?" Lucas asked. He hated this for her, even more so because it was basically his fault. If they weren't together she and Peyton would still be friends, she wouldn't be pregnant so Mouth and her parents would still be there.

"Because what am I going to do when this all gets to much for you too?"

"It won't"

"You say that now" Brooke sighed feeling her eyes start to swell with tears. This whole hormone thing was really starting to get annoying. She couldn't even get through a conversation without crying anymore.

"I'll always say that"

"Even when we're trying to take classes, and have a screaming baby and no money?"

"Even then" Lucas whispered wiping a tear away with his thumb.

"Promise?"

"I promise. Besides, we could always get hold of some of Peyton's 'fruit' stash and make millions"

"Lucas" Brooke giggled, a little shocked he had resorted to Peyton jokes. Usually he was the one making her behave when it came to Peyton.

"What? I'm not allowed to make Peyton crack jokes?"

"I'm glad its you" Brooke whispered, giving Lucas a short but sweet kiss. She knew he felt guilty for everything, they both did. Both of them had caused a lot of trouble for the other one when it came to family and friends.

"What?"

"When I said you're all I have. I'd rather have just you then all of them. I just wanted you to know that"

"I'm glad its you too"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9! YAY! Sorry its taking me so long to update... I've been busy! But hope this chapter makes up for it! Enjoy! and please review!

Lucas Scott sat on a downtown bench with Whitney. Surprisingly they had had a lot of fun together. Pizza, a movie and now downtown. Other than a few awkward moments the date had gone really well. When he looked down at his watch he couldn't believe it was already 11:50. His stomach plunged, and he wondered if Brooke was home by now and if she was wondering where he was. Whitney yawned and that was Lucas's cue to end the date. They'd followed all the rules but one and the time had come for that one too. Whitney beat him to the punch and started to lean in slowly to kiss him.

Meanwhile at home Brooke was on the couch in tears. How could he do that? Men were such idiots! By the end of the night she was pretty sure she'd lost all faith in all men and relationships in general. Markus had tried to comfort her but she didn't want to hear it. He didn't understand she was hormonal and pissed off at the world right now and pretty much hated all men in general.

**17 hours earlier**

Brooke watched as Lucas got dressed. It was that time of year again. Only this year it had come 6 months later due to rules after the shooting. It was the boy toy auction. Brooke had just assumed since Lucas wasn't playing ball or anything that he would he excluded from the stupid auction and she could stop worrying about it. But of course as her luck would have it, the guys had all made Lucas an honorary boy toy along with Mouth. Brooke had spent hours and hour's trying to talk him out of it but it was no use. According to him it was already set in stone and he didn't have a choice. Of course Brooke new the real reason he wanted to do it. He just liked getting up there and looking like a pimp. Not that that was a bad thing. She thoroughly enjoyed watching him shirtless and all sweaty, but she could watch that at home! And then sleep with him after… without paying for it.

"Lucas, cant we just cheat?" Brooke begged trying to think of anything to make it so she could buy him. It wasn't so much he was doing it as it was that she_ knew _that either Peyton or Whitney would buy him. And it wasn't that she didn't trust Lucas, because she did. It was Peyton, Whitney and even Mouth she was worried about.

"There's no cheating in the boy toy auction, it's for charity"

"So let me get this straight. You want me to spend what could be our Childs future college fund on charity. Just so I can when you for one night, when I can have you for free every other night?"

"College fund? It may be our kids food if we don't find jobs soon" Lucas laughed slipping on a tee shirt. He couldn't figure out why Brooke always had to argue with him first thing in the morning before he was even dressed.

"So you see my point?"

"Who says you have to win me?"

"Of course I have to win you, it's our senior year! I have to win you, besides I didn't get to win you last year, I got Mouth and spent the whole night worrying that" Brooke stopped feeling a plunging in her stomach as she remembered last years auction.

"That?

"That I might be pregnant. We're really bad with this whole learning from our mistakes thing"

"If it makes you feel any better, the auction is 6 months later this year than it was last year. So technically it was a year and a half ago" Lucas said, trying to figure out after he said it what the time frame had to do with anything anyway. But it had sounded right at the time.

"Whatever. Lucas, please! We have to rig it! It's like not going to prom together. Its just wrong!"

"We have to go to prom?"

"Lucas!" Brooke whined falling back onto his un-made bed for drama's sake. This was an argument she knew she wasn't going to win, so she had to at least turn the tables so it looked like she was right.

"I'm kidding, look it's not a big deal. I'm only doing it because the guys feel like they have to make me feel included"

"No, they're making you do it because you're hot, and they know some skanky whore is going to pay big bucks for you"

"Skanky whore meaning Peyton?" Lucas asked as Brooke giggled. She loved how he knew all her nicknames for people now, and had even started using them on a regular basis.

"Or Whitney"

"Brooke"

"What?" Brooke asked looking as innocent as possible. She couldn't believe he was a blind as he was when it came to Whitney. She was Peyton's friend, which meant she had to be evil.

"Nothing" Lucas sighed using both hands to pull Brooke up off the bed and then kissed her.

"Hey! You're not getting away with it like that"

Peyton and Whitney sat with Mouth at an empty table at the promenade, watching Brooke and Lucas with the rest of the group. Brooke and Lucas were extra touchy with each other today. At least Lucas was, holding Brooke's hand and kissing her cheek, which made Peyton think maybe Lucas had done something to piss Brooke off. At least that's what she hoped. If her plan for tonight was going to work at all something needed to give between the two love birds for it to work.

"You have to win Lucas" Peyton said, handing Whitney over a hundred dollars from her emergency fund. The way she saw it this was a serious emergency. What better torture for Brooke than if Whitney won Lucas?

"Why? Isn't Brooke going to try and win him?"

"Yea"

"So, maybe we should just let her have him. I mean she's going through a lot" Whitney said, she was starting to feel a little bit guilty for what they had been doing to Lucas and Brooke. Sure it had been fine when she'd thought they were just some normal high school couple. But with Brooke pregnant a lot could go wrong if they went to far.

"She gets him every other day of the year, this is supposed to be for charity"

"Do you really think he'd be any fun? I mean he has a girlfriend, what would we do?"

"Lucas has been known to 'do' things while he was dating Brooke. Isn't that right Mouth?" Peyton laughed making sure to get her point across.

"Just with you and not recently"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Why don't you win him then?" Whitney asked. She didn't really want to win Lucas anyway. She had had her eye on Markus for a few days now and really wanted to bid on him.

"It's too obvious that way, plus Lucas would just get pissed at me. If you did it you could say it was just for fun. I mean doesn't it get on your nerves at all to watch them? Look at her, the way she's got her legs propped up on his lap laughing about god only knows what"

"He's smiling too"

"He's so blinded he doesn't know what else to do. Mouth I thought you were helping us" Peyton said, kinda mad that Mouth was starting to take Brooke and Lucas's side again. They both were.

"Sorry"

"Ok, I'll do it" Whitney finally agreed. Only because there was something she didn't like about Brooke, and something she saw in Lucas that she liked. It made her wonder why he was with Brooke at all.

By lunchtime Brooke was still begging Lucas to change his mind, and he was still saying no. She wasn't used to him telling her no and she didn't like it. He just didn't understand she had good reason for why she was doing this. She knew how girls could be, and what Whitney and Peyton were capable of if they got their hands on Lucas.

"Brooke, for the last time, its not a big deal ok? I do the stupid thing, and then at the end of the night I come home to you. And then you can make me feel included" Lucas whispered kissing her ear. Normally she would have just said yes to this, especially if someone like Haley or even Rachel were going to buy Lucas. But in this case she couldn't give in.

"Uh huh with your mom in the next room? Genius"

"Brooke"

"Wait, is Nathan in this thing?" Brooke asked turning to Haley who was sitting beside her working on her English paper.

"Nope, he's still not doing to well"

"Haley! Perfect Haley you can bid on Lucas, oh or Rachel"

"Ah, no more planned dates with Rachel" Lucas said and Rachel agreed from across the table. He wished Brooke would just let this go. If he had known at the time it was going to bother her this much he would have never agreed to it but now he was stuck.

"Haley then"

"Do I have too? Last year sucked" Haley whined really not wanting to spend anymore money than she had too right now. Nathan's medical bills were draining them as it was.

"Hey"

"Lets just go to class"

"Fine, fine go find your little skanky crack-whoreish soul mate and do lots of fruit and get really drunk and ugh. I'm too mad to think right now. You're lucky I'm not fat yet or I'd just sit on you" Brooke whined as Lucas helped her up from her seat. This had turned into a hopeless cause.

"Yea uh huh"

"I hate you so much"

"I'm sure you do" Lucas laughed taking her hand as they walked to class. He knew he'd already won this argument, and was pretty proud of himself. That was until they got to their lockers.

"You know though, I do have like 20 bucks on hand, some guys don't go for even ½ that. Like Markus, he's attractive, kind of an ass but so are you… he'll do" Brooke smiled seeing Markus at the locker across from hers. She hadn't felt this devious in a while, and she hated to do this to poor Lucas but she had to make her point.

"Wait what?"

"If you get to go out on a charity date, I do too"

"Woah, that wasn't in the deal" Lucas said trying to figure out how things had gotten turned around. He didn't want her on a date with another guy. Even if it was for charity. Suddenly he started to understand why Brooke had had such a problem with this and was regretting the whole thing.

"The deal? I didn't know there was a deal"

"You can't go out with Markus"

"I can if I pay, I mean after all it is charity. You know he's a lot like you used to be, kind of broody, rugged good looks, probably a virgin" Brooke whispered grabbing her books from her pimped out locker. She wasn't planning on actually buying Markus, in fact she really didn't want anything to do with him. He was kind of weird and an ass too when he wanted to be. Which made him perfect leverage for Lucas to get out of his boytoy auction.

"No"

"No? Why not, and if you pull that whole you're mine forever crap I am going to have to hurt you"

"Because" Lucas said, not able to come up with anything better at the moment. He hated to admit Brooke had a point, he just didn't like the idea of her out with someone else… at all.

"Wow, is Lucas Scott having trouble trusting me out with another guy?"

"Brooke"

"Oh it sucks when the tables turn doesn't it boyfriend? Oh look at that we've gotta go"

After school Brooke and Lucas both rushed home, separately to get ready to the auction. Brooke of course had Rachel and Haley come over to help her get as hot as possible. Luckily all her clothes still fit, and even better she could have sworn her boobs had grown which definitely made life better. The only con to the night was the no alcohol rule, and she was pretty sure she could deal with that.

"Awww Brooke you framed it!" Haley shrieked grabbing the framed ultrasound picture off Brooke's desk. Normally Brooke hid that when people came over so she didn't have to hear the mooshy 'awws' and 'that's so sweets' but she hadn't had a chance this time.

"No, ok well maybe but you never saw that"

"I still haven't told Nathan"

"I still haven't told anyone" Rachel sighed sitting back down on the bed. The more Brooke talked to Rachel the worse she felt for her. She didn't have anyone to help her out with this. Her parents weren't around, Cooper was dead, she was completely alone in the whole thing.

"This is so wrong. We should be sitting here getting drunk and giggling right now, not talking about crackwhore babies"

"Says the one with the framed ultasound picture"

"I didn't say _my _baby was a crackwhore" Brooke said snatching the picture back from Haley. She thoroughly enjoyed torturing Haley right now. She, unlike Rachel had a whole support system, and was married.

"You're right, there is something seriously wrong with this. What were we thinking?"

"I was thinking I was married"

"Yea, Lucas and I were just horny" Brooke laughed figuring she shouldn't lie about it, after all that was the truth.

"I figured if I were pregnant then he'd have to stay with me" Rachel said. Brooke could tell she was trying to make it sound funny, but it still stung Brooke when she said it. She hadn't ever imagined Rachel to be that venerable.

"Just proves we're all idiots doesn't it? How do I look?"

"Wow, hott for once"

"Why am I friends with you again?" Brooke laughed throwing her hairbrush at Rachel. Hanging out with Haley and Rachel was fun, they told her how it was and helped her through stuff but she still wished it were Peyton there helping her get ready, telling stupid stories about the stuff they did when they were little.

"Lucas will definitely want to get out of th- woah" Haley gasped, letting her mouth drop open. Poor Rachel looked speechless, clearly neither of then had ever really seen Lucas try and look good. He was actually really really good at getting himself ready and hot when he needed to be. Which was bad for Brooke because he did an extra good job tonight. Luckily, so had she.

"Damn"

"Is that oil on your chest?"

"You can't go shirtless" Brooke said deciding that that was clearly cheating. That wasn't how this relationship worked. She was the hottless sexy one and he was the adorable cute one. At least in public.

"Then you have to wear underwear"

"Who says I'm not?" Brooke asked wrapping her arms around his neck. She'd suddenly come up with a plan that could work for both of them.

"You never do with those jeans" Lucas whispered then kissed the side of her neck. If anything she was cheating. How was he supposed to not kiss her when she looked that good?

"Should we leave the room?"

"Um, yea"

"We only need a second" Brooke whispered pushing Haley and Rachel out the door before they could even say anything. She was starting to think maybe it would be more fun if she and Lucas stayed in tonight. Karen was at the café until 10 and so they could do what they wanted.

"No wonder she's pregnant, all the condoms in the world couldn't protect those two"

"No, Lucas I don't have time to get re-dressed" Brooke whined as Lucas started to un-do her button down shirt. This was definitely against the rules, it wasn't like Lucas would actually have to get redressed if they did anything. He looked hotter after sex anyway.

"No one says you have to go"

"I stay, you stay"

"Moment ruined" Lucas sighed buttoning Brooke's shirt back up. He wasn't going to let her win this one. Not this time.

"Oh yea, but you should dress like this more often, like say tonight at midnight. You never know, you might get lucky"

The auction went on as it did every year. Whitey announced the boy toys. Since Nathan wasn't there, Lucas was the key player and went last. So Brooke made sure to buy Markus as soon as he went up so that she wouldn't have to worry about it for the rest of the night. So Markus went to Brooke, Mouth to Peyton, Tim to no one as usual, and finally Lucas to Whitney. Brooke wasn't surprised, but Lucas looked it. She couldn't help but give him an 'I told you so' glare as Whitney ran over to claim him. Meanwhile, she was stuck with Markus. She didn't now much about this guy other than he was pretty much an asshole. Luckily she looked hot so things could pretty much be on her terms tonight. What better than a movie night in her bedroom, she had a few chick flicks Lucas refused to watch with her, that she figured might torture Markus. Lucas meanwhile had the perfect 'safe' date for him and Whitney. One that would maybe keep his mind off of Brooke and Markus, and keep things ok for him and Whitney.

The rest of the night went as planned for both Brooke and Lucas.

Lucas Scott sat on a downtown bench with Whitney. Surprisingly they had had a lot of fun together. Pizza, a movie and now downtown. Other than a few awkward moments the date had gone really well. When he looked down at his watch he couldn't believe it was already 11:50. His stomach plunged, and he wondered if Brooke was home by now and if she was wondering where he was. Whitney yawned and that was Lucas's cue to end the date. They'd followed all the rules but one and the time had come for that one too. Whitney beat him to the punch and started to lean in slowly to kiss him.

"We really don't have to follow those rules" Lucas said pulling back. Sure last year he had kissed Haley but that was different. Plus he wasn't with Brooke last year, and even if she knew the rules it still felt so wrong.

"Its kind of the rules"

"I know, but Brooke"

"She probably kissed Markus" Whitney said, still stunned that Lucas had pulled away. She hadn't been expecting a make out session but a kiss yea.

"Well if she did, she did but I just cant. Sorry"

"Its ok I guess, I mean we're just friends its not like a kiss would matter anyway"

"A kiss always means something" Lucas sighed remembering what Brooke had told him.

"Its almost 12. I guess I should get going. I had fun, we should do this more often"

"Yea"

"Thanks Lucas" Whitney smiled. But deep down she was furious. Maybe Peyton had been right all along. When Peyton had told her Lucas wasn't exactly loyal, Whitney had kind of expected something to happen between her and Lucas. And had actually gotten excited about it. Now he was turning her down? No one turned her down.

Meanwhile at home Brooke was on the couch in tears. How could he do that? Men were such idiots! By the end of the night she was pretty sure she'd lost all faith in all men and relationships in general. Markus had tried to comfort her but she didn't want to hear it. He didn't understand she was hormonal and pissed off at the world right now and pretty much hated all men in general. How could Tristan die like that? When he and Isolde could finally be together he had to run off and be a stupid selfish man.

"Brooke, its just a movie" Markus said throwing the remote down. He couldn't wait for that clock to turn midnight so he could get the hell out of there.

"No! Its just like life"

"Um, ok?"

"Hey, how was- you ok?" Lucas asked finding Brooke on the couch crying and Markus with his coat and shoes on ready to go. Lucas guessed Brooke had definitely made it worth the whole $17.50 she had paid for him.

"I tried to tell her it was just a movie"

"If you ever go off to war and die Lucas Scott, I will kill you all over again"

"Her hormones are kind of, off" Lucas whispered letting Brooke cry into his chest. As bad as he felt for both Brooke and Markus he was actually kind of glad things had gone this bad.

"Yea, no shit. She's been crying ever since Tristan left to go home. Man, I hate chick flicks and all already, but she makes them hell"

"Asshole, you were crying too"

"Only because you slapped me" Markus shot back. Lucas could tell they had clearly had an interesting night, to say the least.

"You deserved it, its midnight you can go now"

"Thank god, we'll count the slap as a kiss"

"You just had to torture the guy didn't you?" Lucas laughed, wrapping his arm around Brooke. He could only imagine the hell Brooke had put the guy through all night.

"I could have slept with him"

"Torturing is good"

"How was Whitney?" Brooke asked not able to hold her curiosity any longer. It was kind of killing her to find out what they had done and if they had had any fun.

"Kind of boring, I mean compared to our first date"

"Aw, no tattoos or steamy make-out sessions?"

"Well we did have this one really intense conversation about some kind of plant she likes. That got really hot" Lucas whispered trying to make it sound as hot and steamy as possible.

"Wow, sounds very… sexy?"

"And when she blew her nose while eating Pizza, that turned me on so much"

"Ew" Brooke gagged. She guessed maybe Whitney had been trying to be herself, or something like that around Lucas.

"Yea, I almost choked on my pizza. After that I was sure we weren't having sex"

"Poor baby, so no sex?"

"Nope, I'm seriously deprived" Lucas sighed trying to act pitiful. Brooke just laughed. She didn't know why they even played this game. Of course they were going to have sex as soon as they finished this conversation. The question was just where.

"I was gonna let you get lucky, but your moms still awake"

"And that's why they made backseats"


	10. Chapter 10

Here's chapter 10! I really like this chapter, and after last weeks episode of OTH I have a feeling you guys are going to need it:)

It was that time of year again at Tree Hill High. The one that had the girls giggling and looking their best, and left the guys nervous with sweaty palms. It was the week of prom. Prom in Tree Hill was what determined the next step in your life, or so everyone thought. Either you lost your virginity in the back of a pick up truck with some boy, you ended up pregnant, or if you were un-lucky enough, both. But in Brooke, Haley and Rachel's case, they hadn't followed prom cliché and had lost their virginity and gotten pregnant before hand. So all the pressure was off, at least in that department. Now their only problem, finding a dress.

"That's it, I'm never going to find a dress. Who thought of this stupid ice them anyway?" Haley sighed throwing her last possible dress back on the rack. She'd never had this hard of a time finding a dress. It wasn't like she was showing, but she was up a size which made things that much harder for her short body, when it came to finding clothes.

"Um, I did and you'll find a dress. Stop spazzing"

"I'm with Haley. Why don't we all just skip prom?"

"We can't skip prom! Its like the most important day of our high school career!" Brooke shrieked almost wanting to slap Rachel. What was that girl thinking? Skipping prom! That was like missing home coming or graduation, you just didn't do it.

"So? It's not like anyone at Tree Hill plays by the rules anyway. Take Nathan for example. Most popular guy in school is married to his tutor. And Brooke no offence but you're dating Lucas"

"You're point?"

"I've heard stories about how he was before he met you"

"I miss that Lucas actually" Haley said letting out a short sigh. Brooke wasn't at all amused by this.

"Do you have a point to this?"

"My point is in a normal high school Brooke you would be having Nathan's baby right now and Haley, you and Lucas would still be virgins. Tree Hill's different. Weren't you scared when you started dating Lucas that people would judge you for dating the outcast Brooke?"

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not that shallow. I don't care what other people think" Brooke lied, trying to sound as truthful as possible as she spoke. Of course she cared what other people thought. Who didn't?

"So what made you want Lucas then?"

"He was sexy as hell, plus he was a virgin and I knew he'd worship me after that first night"

"Right, you're definitely not shallow. My point is what does it matter if we miss prom? We have bigger things on our plates" Rachel said giving her stomach a quick glance. She couldn't figure out why Haley and Brooke could just live everyday like normal now. They just went on with their lives like nothing was going on. If they didn't throw in the occasional comment about morning sickness or clothes not fitting, Rachel would probably forget they were pregnant in the first place. But she couldn't get it off her mind and she hated it.

"I've already talked Lucas into going" Brooke whined snapping Rachel out of her thoughts. That's when it hit her. Brooke and Haley both had guys in their life who were going to help them through this. Meanwhile Rachel hadn't even told her parents.

"Then shouldn't you be looking for a dress?"

"What? God no, unlike you freaks I special ordered mine at the beginning of the year. Its Dolce and Gabanna"

"Well then" Rachel smiled trying to act as normal and carefree as her friends.

"So we're going, please? Please Please Please please?" Brooke begging hoping they'd cave. No one went to prom with out their friends!

"Fine, but you owe us"

Lucas sat on his couch with Karen looking at all the options for Tux's that Brooke had left for them to look at. She'd even put little sticky notes on the ones she liked best for him, and which ones she thought were gay. Personally he didn't even care. He hadn't even ever seriously planned on going to prom. Sure he'd imagined that one day he'd go to prom with the prom queen, but that was just him day dreaming in the back of science in 9th grade. In reality he had just assumed he and Haley would do what they always did and stay home. But this was something that was really important to Brooke, and since her constant morning sickness had finally passed and she actually felt like doing things again, he couldn't say no.

"Lucas you've got to choose" Karen said holding up each one of the Tux's for Lucas to look at. They'd been at this for over an hour now and had gotten nowhere.

"Why? She's going to re-choose for me when she gets back anyway. God she probably wants us to be color coordinated."

"Lucas, don't pick on her. Prom is very important to a girl, and so help me god if you don't make sure this night is special for Brooke I will hurt you myself"

"Thanks for the love mom" Lucas said giving Karen a sarcastic smile. He knew this was important to Brooke, and because of that he was going. But he still couldn't figure out why he had to wear a matching tie.

"No problem"

"Hey Karen, oh sorry are you guys busy?" Lucas and Karen both turned to see Peyton standing at the doorway in her usual grunge jeans and emo band shirt. She was actually sporting the curly look today too Lucas noticed. Which was usually the look she used when she wanted to look good for something, according to Brooke.

"Hey Peyton, no come in. We're trying to pick out what Lucas is going to wear to prom. Any ideas of what Brooke would approve of?"

"Knowing Brooke shirtless and in a thong"

"I could go for that" Lucas yawned propping his feet up on the coffee table. He might as well get comfortable because from the looks of things they were going to be at this for a while.

"Lucas"

"Seriously though, anything with a designer name and snap buttons. What way when she's ripping your clothes off at the end of the night it wont matter"

"What can I do for you Peyton?" Karen asked trying to change the subject as soon as possible. The thought of someone ripping off her sons clothes was too much to handle, especially at 20 weeks pregnant.

"I was talking to Whitney and she said you had some extra shifts open at the café? I was just wondering if you'd found anyone yet"

"They're yours"

"Thanks Karen, things are kind of tight right now with my dad being gone and" Peyton started to ramble. She always felt like she had to explain herself to Karen, like ever since the whole Rick drug thing Karen had never quite believed her on anything else.

"Don't even think about it"

"Thanks"

"Good job mom" Lucas sighed after Peyton had left. He couldn't believe his mom sometimes. Giving Peyton a job at the café. That was possibly the worst thing she'd ever done for Brooke.

"What?"

"You know how much time Brooke spends there lately"

"They're friends" Karen said, almost in a question. Sometimes she felt so out of the loop when it came to all the drama in her son's friends lives. Especially Brooke's.

"Where have you been? They hate each other"

"Lucas I cant not give Peyton the job because Brooke doesn't like her"

"I don't like her very much right now either" Lucas added hoping maybe that would turn the tables a little bit. He didn't really want to get into the whole long story of how Peyton was kind of in love with him, but if that's what he had to do to get his mom to tell her no, then he was willing to try it.

"I'm not playing favorites"

"Favorites. The girl who's covered from head to toe in issues, or the girl whose having your grandchild? Its not a tough one mom"

"Well if you and Brooke have a problem with it then you can stay home and cook for her. I need the extra help" Karen finally said putting her foot down. Neither Brooke nor Lucas had to the time to help her out at the café right now anyway, and as her belly got bigger it was getting harder and harder to do things.

"Brooke and I can't cook"

"How do you plan on feeding a child if you can't cook"

"I hear they like McDonalds a lot" Lucas said trying to keep a serious face. He knew he and Brooke were pretty much screwed when they went to college next year, he just didn't like admitting it to his mom.

"You have no idea how much I worry about the two of you. Get out of here before I decide to lock you in your bedroom until you turn 21"

Brooke met Lucas in their usual spot at the café after she and the girls finished shopping for the day. It had been one of those perfect days, where everything had gone just as planned and she'd almost completely forgotten all her problems, that was until she walked into the café and found her former bestest friend Peyton standing over Lucas's table, along with Whitney.

"Hey babe, how was shopping?" Lucas asked standing up to give Brooke a quick kiss. He could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't exactly pleased with what she had walked in to find.

"Great until now"

"How about now?" Lucas whispered kissing her, sweeter and longer this time until he felt her smile.

"You're too good at this"

"Oh its 5, I've gotta go pick up prom tickets" Peyton said feeling the need to get out of there as soon as possible. It wasn't like it had been a break through conversation with Lucas anyway. The line "Are you sure you don't want some cheesecake?" definitely wasn't going to make him break up with Brooke for her. She'd just have to plan with Whitney tonight and come up with a better idea than her working at the café.

"Tickets?"

"Yea they have them out to pick up today at 5"

"Tickets" Lucas said again feeling his stomach drop. No one had mentioned tickets to him; at least he didn't think they had. He'd been so pre-occupied with everything else lately that if they had he probably wouldn't have remembered anyway.

"Um yea"

"Lucas tell me you bought tickets" Brooke said gritting her teeth. She didn't want to make a scene in front of Peyton and Whitney, but then again maybe Lucas deserved it.

"I thought prom was like an everybody thing"

"You still have to buy tickets like a normal formal"

"The amount of restraint it is taking for me not to slap you right now is incredible" Brooke said shutting her eyes and trying to do that counting thing Haley always did when she was upset. It wasn't working. In fact closing her eyes just helped her imagine how good it was going to feel when he did hit him, really hard.

"Brooke I'm so sorry, I swear I didn't know"

"Lucas, it was the one thing I asked you to do. I did everything else. All you had to do was get the tickets"

"Yea ok we're gonna go" Peyton said dragging Whitney by the hand out of the café. She had to get out of there before the smile on her face got any bigger. If this wasn't going to cause some serious drama for Brooke and Lucas then nothing was. Prom was more important to Brooke then anything.

"I'll go buy them now"

"They're sold out! Its prom!"

"How can they sell out?" Lucas asked not sure if Brooke was being serious, or just saying whatever brought the most drama. He didn't really know anything about prom in the first place other than that Brooke had told him.

"Just stop talking, you're making me angrier and you really don't want that. Ugh, I need a drink"

"You can't drink, you're pregnant"

"Well maybe the baby needs one too. No, don't follow me. I'm not speaking to you"

Brooke figured out all too fast that a bottle of white grape juice really didn't have the same kick as a beer or something mixed. But no matter how mad she was at Lucas, for the sake of her baby she stuck to the grape juice and tried to think on the positive side. At least she'd avoid the hangovers in the morning.

She was however giving her boyfriend the silent treatment, and it was working like a charm. Flowers, candy, some earrings, she had to admit he was good with it came to gifts. But the fact that he seriously sucked at buying the one thing she asked him too kept her mad.

She played the silent card until the next day at lunch, when she thought of something even more genius that would help her lay on the guilt. Something she knew would work better than anything.

"Brooke, please talk to me" Lucas sighed, almost begging. Why did he have the most stubborn girlfriend on the face of the planet? Yes he'd screwed up and he felt really, really bad about it. But most people would have let it go by now and moved on.

"Fine"

"For the thousandth time, I'm sorry"

"Sure" Brooke said not bothering to look up from her lunch. She could tell he was fidgeting and trying to think of what to say next, which meant her plan was working perfectly.

"I'll take you to do whatever you want. Anything, you name it and we're there"

"I really don't feel like spending any time with you right now, thanks"

"You ass" Haley laughed as Brooke walked away from their lunch table. She was actually a little shocked herself Lucas had forgotten tickets. Normally he was the big romantic with plans and flowers; meanwhile Nathan was the one forgetting.

"Thanks Hales"

"I'm just saying. You've really pissed her off this time"

"I know and I didn't mean too. But I don't see what the big deal is. Last formal I ended up driving her home crying because she hadn't had any fun" Lucas sighed, knowing everything he said was crap.

"Yea, but that wasn't prom. Lucas she's probably been looking forward to this since she was 5. All girls do. Its like their wedding"

"What am I supposed to do? I've already begged anyone and everyone for tickets"

"Well you better think of something or the ice princess just might kill you in your sleep"

Lucas spent the rest of the day trying to think of what to do for Brooke. It wasn't easy. Usually for things like her birthday and Christmas he had no problem thinking of the perfect romantic plan. But today it just wasn't coming to him. Living with 2 cranky pregnant women was really starting to have an effect on his sleep and everyday life. Bit finally after a few hours of thinking and almost giving up, it came to him in usual Lucas style. The perfect idea, and he figured with some help from Rachel and Haley he could probably pull it off. The next problem was just getting Brooke there.

"Hey-." Lucas started as he walked into Brooke's room where she was reading some teeny bopper magazine, but she cut him off.

"Don't you dare pretty girl me or I will beat you with this"

"I hope our baby isn't as violent as you are"

"Well I hope he is" Brooke muttered rolling her eyes at Lucas. She wasn't really in the mood for another lame apology attempt. Not while all her friends were getting ready for prom and having a blast. Leaving her stuck on her bed reading how to see if you're wearing the right size bra.

"Come on, I've got a surprise for you"

"I told you I didn't feel like doing anything with you tonight. You're good for nothing tonight"

"I'm good for something. Look, if you don't like it I'll bring you right back home and you can beat me with your magazine" Lucas whispered pulling her up off the bed. This was going to be harder than he thought.

"Lucas"

"I'm serious, just come on"

Lucas did the usual blindfolding once they got in the car, and listened to her lecture him the entire way about what it meant to be good to your girlfriend. He tried to take it seriously, or at least pretend he was paying attention, but it was pretty hard with the list of demands Brooke was laying on him. 10 minutes later they were there, and Lucas helped Brooke out of the car and inside the building. He was actually pretty nervous about the whole thing.

"Lucas, come on seriously I'm not in the mood" Brooke whined as she almost tripped over the last step walking into where ever he was taking her. She had to give him credit for trying but nothing he did was going to make up for prom.

"You'll like this, I promise"

"I would have liked tickets to prom where I could have worn my dress that matched perfectly with the ice theme better"

"It'll match just fine here" Lucas said pulling her blindfold off so she could see where they were.

"Lucas, oh my god. You did all this?" Brooke asked, almost speechless. It definitely wasn't her planed reaction but she couldn't help it. She looked around at the beautifully decorated ice skating rink with the blue lights and then saw Lucas all dressed in his Tux. At that moment as much as she still wanted to be mad at him she couldn't anymore. He always found a way to make it better, especially when he had been the one to do the messing up.

"I told you I was good for something"

"But I'm in my jeans"

"You're dress is in the car" Lucas said, glad that Haley had reminded him of that one, at the last second.

"Its beautiful"

"Its not prom, but you can watch me fall on my ass a few times and you can wear your dress"

"And you wore a tux" Brooke smiled straightening his tie a little. It was even the one she'd put the favorite sticky note on.

"You know you're the only girl I'd ever wear this for right?"

"Thank you"

"Anything for you" Lucas whispered pulling her into his chest. Brooke just stood there for a while with his arms around her and his chin resting on the top of her head. She'd always imagined what her senior prom would be like. Who she'd go with, what she'd wear. It had always been the same when she imagined it. She'd go with the most popular boy in school, who would definitely be voted prom king beside her. And she'd wear the most expensive designer dress she could find. Then spend the whole night dancing to her pop music without her shoes. After all that's what she'd always been told it would be like, and when whoever was telling her their story finished, they'd always end with "It was kind of lame and disappointing, not what I expected". So Brooke had been determined to make hers the most special ever, and at that very second, it was. She stood there in her boyfriends arms swaying slightly back and forth to the soft music playing, in her jeans, flip flops and Lucas's sweatshirt trying to figure out how things that ended up so different than she imagined, ended up being more perfect then the original plan. He'd even found the perfect song. She listened as the words echoed out of the speakers

_There's a pretty girl sitting next me _

_And you know that I love to believe_

_That, that pretty girl sitting next to me was all mine_

_There's a pretty girl staring back and me_

_and I know that I love be to believe _

_that that pretty girl staring back at me was all mine_

_She's all mine…_

Brooke tried to think of what to say, anything to show Lucas how much this meant to her. But for the first time in her life, a boy had left her completely speechless. It felt like anything she said would just ruin their perfect moment. So finally after some thought, Brooke lifted her head up and pressed her lips gently against his. Giving him short, but romantic kiss. The kind that left not only their lips, but their whole body's numb after it was finished. Then she leaned back into him so they could keep dancing.

People will tell you prom is the most important night of your high school career. Whether you're in a high school gym with a fancy dress and shoes, or in a perfectly decorated ice skating rink in your most comfortable jeans, wrapped in your boyfriends arms. People will tell you the same thing. What they wont tell you is that after prom, everything changes… and not always for the better.

"Peyton, I don't understand" Whitney whined standing in her dress beside Peyton. Peyton was on her computer messing with some graphics program, making a flyer of some sort.

"You will just chill out Whitney"

"We should be at prom"

"Don't you want Lucas?" Peyton asked trying to motivate the girl. See Peyton had thought the whole plan out. She'd get Whitney to break Lucas and Brooke up, all the while Whitney thinking she was doing a good thing. And after Lucas realized what she had done, and Brooke was no longer speaking to him, he'd have to come to Peyton to be consoled.

"I want to be at prom"

"They're not at prom. But they will be at graduation, and the parties after"

"So?" Whitney asked not seeing Peyton's point at all. Nothing they had tried so far had worked, and she didn't see why this plan was going to work either.

"So, that's when we strike and actually give Brooke something to be mad about"

"So what are we going to do?"

"You'll see"

There's a pretty girl sitting next me 

_And you know that I love to believe_

_That, that pretty girl sitting next to me was all mine_

_There's a pretty girl staring back and me_

_And I know that I love be to believe _

_That that pretty girl staring back at me was all mine_

_She's all mine…_

_I'll take her and make her so happy_

_So don't take her, don't make her_

_Happy please… without me_

_There's a pretty mouth smiling back at me _

_And you know that I love to believe _

_That, that pretty mouth smiling back at me was all mine_

_I will make it mine_

_I'll take her, and make her happy_

_So don't take her, don't make her, happy please… without me_

_Please don't change, change the way the way, you change me to today_

_Please don't take this away, please take this away_

_I'll take her and make her so happy_

_So don't take her and don't make her happy _

_Without me, without me, without me, without me, without me, _

_Don't make her happy… without me _

_**Pretty Girl **_

_**by: Strays Don't Sleep**_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11! So, I really love this chapter... and I'm kind if wishing mark would read it hahaha. So I hope you guys enjoy this! Please R&R!

Graduation, A high point in every person's life. Some leave and go off to Ivy League schools to become doctors or lawyers, while others are just happy to make it out at all. Either way there is celebrating after the big event for the children and parents. Karen Roe was one of these parents. She sat in her assigned seat watching her son receive his diploma and felt a since of peace. She'd gotten him through his first 18 years. She'd always told herself that when this day came her job would be over for the most part. She'd send him on his way and then she'd do something for herself. Now, here she was, graduating her first baby and getting ready to have another one. Some days she wasn't sure if she was ready for another 18 years of child rearing. The stress and worry that it wouldn't turn out right, or something could go wrong. Whenever she felt like this she looked at her first son and hoped for some hint that everything would be ok. Today when she looked for that hint, he was kissing his pregnant girlfriends forehead and smiling. Ok, so maybe Lucas didn't give her the most hope when it came to child rearing, but hey, things could only turn out better for her next baby right?

"I am so proud of you two! Here, I need pictures" Karen said pulling out her camera again. It was all she could do to keep from crying anymore. She just couldn't believe that her baby was all grown up and going away soon. It seemed like only yesterday she was the one graduating.

"Mom"

"Smile. You'll want this when you get old"

"Karen Roe" A voice said from behind Karen, giving Lucas and Brooke the clear to finally stop posing for pictures, even if it was only for a second.

"Larry! Its so good to see you, I know you must be so proud of Peyton"

"And you of Lucas. Congrats Lucas, Brooke, come here. See I take partial credit for this girl right here graduating. Without me she would have never gotten through her 7th grade Algebra class"

"Its true. Without papa Peyton I'd have been doomed" Brooke laughed giving Larry a big hug. She hadn't seen him and ages and wondered how informed he was about everything that was going on lately. Not that it mattered. Larry was never one to take sides when it came to Brooke and Peyton's fights like most parents. He just let it be and pretended nothing was wrong.

"And getting into Carolina, both of you. I couldn't be happier. Now maybe Peyton will come to her senses and decide to go"

"Where does she want to go?"

"She's been accepted to State, whether she actually goes or not is another story"

"Mom we're gonna" Lucas whispered pointing that they were out of there. He figured she and Larry would spend some time catching up anyway which with any luck would give him and Brooke some time to go see everyone.

"Yes, go, call me later"

"Those two seem inseparable"

"They're joined at the hip. Lets just hope it stays that way" Karen sighed watching as Brooke and Lucas walked off, Lucas's arm around Brooke's shoulders. Yes right now they were inseparable and if they could just stay that way then she wouldn't have any worries for them. But Karen knew as well as anyone that people change, people grow and they move on.

Brooke and Lucas walked to the promenade where they had all agreed to meet once they were away from their parents. Haley, Nathan and Rachel were already there waiting at a their table and Mouth followed shortly. As they walked up, it hit Brooke that things were never really going to be the same again. They were now officially adults, out of school and in the real world. Just the thought made Brooke's stomach turn.

"I can't believe we all made it" Nathan said looking around at the empty promenade. It seemed like ½ the important events in his life had taken place here.

"I know, its insane out here, it's a good thing we had our meeting spot"

"So what know?"

"We should just hang out, like we usually do on a Friday night. Just all together and no drama" Rachel said, giving Mouth a quick glare when she added the drama part. She wasn't sure why he was here. She guessed since it was a pre-planned thing that maybe he just felt the need come or whatever. Either way she kind of wished he wasn't.

"The café? My mom closed it for the day so we can have it to ourselves"

"Sounds good. Meet there in a hour?"

"It's a plan" Haley said grabbing her stuff and following Nathan towards the car with the rest of the group.

"Brooke you coming?"

"There's something I need to do, I'll meet you at home in ½ an hour?"

"Sure" Lucas agreed, but kind of reluctantly. Brooke had been acting weird all day, almost sad. He'd asked her about it before they'd taken their seats but she'd pulled the usual Brooke Davis line of "I'm fine, just tired" so Lucas had left it at that, and decided that this time he should probably do the same thing. So after a few seconds of giving her that _look_ he decided just to give her a quick kiss on the cheek and let her do whatever she needed to do. No questions asked.

Brooke waited until Lucas left and then made her way through the mobs of people and inside the school. It was really quiet and smelled clean, like they had just waxed the floors or something. She wasn't really sure why she was in there in the first place. The more she thought about it the stupider she felt for even going. It had been years since they'd made the agreement. 10 years to be exact, when she and Peyton had been at their first Ravens basketball game in the second grade and planned out their whole high school careers after that. Even the part where they'd meet under the bleachers after graduation in their Ravens cheerleading uniforms and do the un-thinkable, drink beer.

"I didn't think you'd show" A voice said from under the bleachers. This was the first time in a long time Brooke had actually been happy to hear her best friends voice. It meant a lot to her that she still cared enough to show up.

"Same here"

"It felt wrong not too"

"I know what you mean" Brooke smiled. There was an awkward silence after that. Neither girl really knew what to say. All they'd done the past 3 months was fight, so real conversation just didn't come as naturally anymore.

"I brought the 'un-thinkable'" Peyton finally laughed throwing Brooke a can.

"Peyton I-."

"Relax, its non-alcoholic"

"Ew" Brooke gagged looking down at the can. She couldn't even eat chicken right now, how was she supposed to keep down beer with no alcohol?

"I thought you might say that, so I brought you a Pepsi instead"

"Thanks"

"So I was thinking, maybe we could call a truce. At least for tonight" Peyton said, not looking Brooke in the eyes as she said it. She wasn't sure how Brooke would respond to the thought of them actually being nice to each other.

"A truce?"

"I be nice to you, you be nice to me"

"You don't hit on my boyfriend" Brooke added, and then wished she hadn't. That probably hadn't been the best thing to say while Peyton was actually trying to be nice.

"You don't remind me he's your boyfriend"

"Deal"

"That uniforms looking a little tight" Peyton laughed as Brooke tried to get comfortable on the bleachers. She could tell it had probably taken Brooke some serious effort to get into that skirt.

"I've even got it un-buttoned in the back"

"How far along are you?"

"14 weeks. Another month and none of my clothes will fit" Brooke sighed looking down at her non-existent belly. She just didn't understand it. As far as she could tell she didn't look any fatter. She still had her ab lines, and her stomach was still for the most part flat. The only problem was all of her clothes were starting to get really tight.

"Its not like it matters, you knew you'd never be as skinny as me anyway. Are you scared?"

"Scared? I'm terrified. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. One day I feel really good about it, you know? Like ok, I can do this. Then the next I just want to lay under the covers and cry"

"Hey, that's my thing" Peyton laughed trying to make Brooke smile. It wasn't as bad as she thought talking to Brooke about being pregnant. As long as she didn't remind herself that it was Lucas's baby that Brooke was having.

"Sometimes I just kind of want to get away from it all, ya know? Go back to when we were 8 and our biggest worry was whether or not we were going to be in the same class the next year"

"Those were some stressful summers"

"The scary thing is. I used to look at people like Dan and Nicki like they were the worst people in the world. And I still see them as terrible people, but I can kind of see why they did it. Like it all just got too much for them and they didn't know what to do. I'm just waiting for the day my whining gets to much for Lucas." Brooke ½ laughed, but part of her was serious. She knew if she had to live with herself like this she'd go crazy, which made her worry about how Lucas was handling it.

"Do you tell him this stuff?"

"We talk, but its more of telling the other one what how they're going to be just fine and not to worry about anything. When it comes to our on insecurities we just kinda dodge them for the other ones sake I guess. I'm afraid if I tell him how scared I am it's going to make him worry that much more, and then it's not fair to either of us"

"That kind of sucks" Peyton said in all seriousness. As bad as it was it did make her feel a little better that Brooke and Lucas weren't telling each other anything. She really did feel bad for feeling that way but she couldn't help it. Just because she and Brooke were calling the truce didn't change how either one of them felt about Lucas.

"I guess that's what you do when you love someone. Hey what are you doing tonight?"

"Listening to my dad tell stories of how fast I grew up I guess"

"You should come to the café, since we're having our little truce and all. It's just the usual hanging out. You know you wanna see Nathan and Lucas arm wrestle" Brooke giggled hoping Peyton would say yes. It just seemed wrong for them not to hang out tonight.

Peyton thought for a minute while she tried to calm down a little. That last remark Brooke had made about _I guess that's what you do when you love someone _had really gotten to her and she didn't know why. I t wasn't like some heart felt speech or anything that Brooke had given. It was just the look on her face when she said it. The look Brooke Davis always had when she really meant something.

"Sure, why not"

By the time Brooke and Peyton got to the café everyone was already there and into their first batch of ice cream they had stolen from the freezer. Haley and Rachel were in the corner laughing about something meanwhile Nathan and Mouth were doing the same thing at the opposite side of the room. Lucas was walking back into the dining area when Brooke and Peyton came in, and the sight of them together almost made him drop the thing of cookie dough he was carrying. It wasn't until a few seconds later that he noticed neither was pulling the other ones hair our or slapping. So he figured that had to be some kind of a good sign.

"Hey babe" Lucas said, almost in the form of a question. She and Peyton were looking pretty friendly and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. His guess, either Brooke was plotting something against Peyton, or the other way around.

"Don't give me that look, Peyton and I have called a truce for the night"

"A truce"

"Uh huh. Oh cookie dough, do you really want me fat that fast?" Brooke asked raising her eyebrow at him. He just smiled and rolled his eyes at her like he always did making her grin. Sometimes just the sheer cuteness of that boy made her melt.

"Its all yours"

"Brooke! Get your ass over here with that stuff!" Rachel whined from the couch. That was Brooke's cue. She hadn't really planned on leaving Lucas and Peyton alone for a conversation, but now that she thought about it maybe she should. It wasn't like Peyton was going to try anything with Brooke right there, and if she did then Lucas could put her in her place.

"I'm being summoned"

"She's… glowing?"

"There really aren't words" Lucas laughed shaking his head. He wasn't really sure if "glowing" was the word but Brooke was definitely different lately. Happier if anything, at least happier than he'd seen her in about 3 months.

"She seems so different"

"How so?"

"I mean like, calmer. How are you keeping her from drinking and partying?" Peyton asked in all seriousness. She'd tried to get Brooke to calm down since the 2nd grade, and nothing had worked.

"I'm not keeping her from anything"

"Do you ever think she's just going to get tired of this and go back to her old ways?"

"What was so bad with her old ways?" Lucas asked. Peyton wanted to gag. What was wrong with Brooke's old ways. She could count a zillion things wrong with Brooke's old ways, but clearly Lucas couldn't, or refused too.

"Nothing. I'm just saying, with a baby she's going to be stressed as hell. You should talk to her about it"

"We talk Peyton"

"Right, well I could be wrong but people don't usually change for long Luke. Brooke's Brooke. She may play sweet innocent Brooke for now, but wait until that babies born and she's in college. I mean that's what happened with Nicki. One day she was at home feeding Jenny, the next she gave up, missed her old life and left" Peyton could tell she'd hit a nerve with Lucas as she said this. It actually wasn't as hard as she'd thought it was going to be making Lucas squirm. Maybe she didn't even need Whitney anymore. There was along pause, and then the sound of Brooke whining in the distance.

"Lucas, they're telling embarrassing stories about me!"

"I better" Lucas said motioning towards Brooke. He really didn't feel like talking to Peyton anymore anyway. That one conversation had made him question why he was ever so hell bent on being Peyton's friend anyway. But then again, it was also making him question other things too.

"Yea"

"Then there was the time Brooke got so wasted she ended up asleep in my bath tub, and woke up thinking she was in the tropics"

"Well someone tried to take a shower with me still in the tub!" Brooke shrieked sticking her tongue out at Nathan as he told the rest of the story. She herself had even kind of forgotten how wild she used to be before Lucas.

"Those were the good old days man, there wasn't a Saturday morning Peyton and I wouldn't wake up and find Brooke on the floor, passed out"

"I can't imagine Brooke like that"

"Oh believe me" Haley said almost laughing at Rachel's comment. Even Haley remembered wild crazy Brooke. The Brooke that people only saw as the party girl or slut. Even she'd spent a lot of time back then judging Brooke.

"At least I didn't deny my love for alcohol and sex at a young age"

"You're really matured Brooke"

"How so? I still like alcohol and sex" Brooke giggled waiting for whatever clever response Haley was going to try and come up with. Brooke knew she'd grown up, she just didn't like admitting it.

"Yes but now you're only having it with one guy"

"Oh, but 3 times as much. And who needs alcohol when you have chocolate and whipped cream?"

"Too much information" Haley laughed covering her ears. Usually by now Lucas would have joined in either adding to Brooke's ego or changing the subject. But not tonight, he had his mind set on other things.

"College life is going to kill you Brooke"

"How's that?"

"Kegs parties" Rachel said in a flat tone. Brooke decided just to roll her eyes at this one. She spent a lot of time trying not to think about what she was going to be missing out on next year.

"Sadly my college years are going to consist of bottles and diapers"

"I give it a month before you bail on that"

"Nathan" Haley snapped, surprised by Nathan's comment. Ever since he'd gotten better, he hadn't been the same. He wasn't the sensitive, sweet Nathan he had been when he'd jumped into that river anymore. He'd changed.

"What?"

"You're on Uncle Nater Tater" Brooke said trying to lighten the group up a little bit. She as actually a little shocked Nathan had come out with that remark too, but she also wasn't going to let anything think he might be right. Especially Lucas.

"Ouch, worst name ever"

"Ok Nathan no more alcohol for you"

"Hales" Nathan whined wanting his bottle back. But everyone seemed to agree with Haley that maybe Nathan had had enough to drink for now.

"So, anyone have any baby names in mind"

"Are you serious?"

"Lucas and I haven't had that fight yet" Brooke laughed. She could only begin to imagine how that conversation was going to go. She could see it now. Lucas naming some stupid dead poet or basketball player names like Summerset or Michael Jordan.

"Nathan and I have, ever since I told him"

"I was thinking Cooper maybe, if it's a boy"

"Aww, Rach" Brooke and Haley said in unison. They both thought it was sweet how Rachel was trying to include Cooper even though he was dead. Nathan on the other hand apparently didn't.

"Why?"

"Because that's its fathers name?"

"So you're gonna ruin that kids life just like you did Coops?" Nathan asked, causing the room to go silent. Everyone knew that Nathan had had some un-resolved issues with Rachel about his uncles death, but no one ever thought he'd be this cruel about it.

"Nathan"

"What? We saw her turn the wheel Haley"

"Nathan. Stop it" Haley yelled trying to stop him before he said anything else to upset Rachel. She couldn't believe he was doing this. Especially now, if front of everyone. Meanwhile Rachel was just sitting there, quiet with swollen eyes, looking at the ground.

"No. She knows it's her fault"

"Do you think I wanted this? Any of this? Do you think I want to be having his baby? I didn't plan on any of this. It just happened, just like it did with you guys!"

"I'm sure" Nathan muttered rolling his eyes at Rachel. No one was really sure if it was the alcohol talking, or what Nathan really meant. Either way no one liked Nathan very much at that particular moment.

"Don't you think I tried everything so this didn't happen? I pray every night that I'll wake up and it'll just be over ok?"

"Rach wait" Brooke and Haley both yelled as Rachel bolted towards the door.

"I'll get her"

"I can't believe you Nathan. I don't know what the hell happened to you under that water but I don't like who you came out as"

"Haley" Nathan whispered but Haley was really too mad to listen. This wasn't the Nathan she knew and had fallen in love with and as long as he was acting like this she really had no interest to be around him. At all.

"No, I'm going home. Find your own ride"

Brooke chased Rachel out of the café until she stopped on the bench a block down to cry. Brooke couldn't believe Nathan had had the nerve to say any of that, after all it wasn't like he was Mr. Innocent when it came to relationships. She waited a second before she sat down with Rachel, and once she did, she didn't say anything. She really didn't know what to say to her. It wasn't like she could really relate on anything when it came to Rachel's situation.

"Why does everyone just assume I wanted this?" Rachel finally said after a few minutes of complete silence. Brooke tried to think of what to say, something to comfort her but she couldn't come up with anything.

"I don't know"

"I don't want this. I never wanted this! I was just trying to have some fun and it all just got twisted and screwed over"

"Right after Lucas had cheated on me with Peyton I had a pregnancy scare. I remember thinking _why me? Out of all the sexually active teenagers out there, why me?_ Here I was drinking whatever I could find, my best friend was running around with a guy that I'd actually fallen in love with and I was sitting there thinking I was pregnant. It was the worst I've ever felt. Thinking I was going to be alone in the whole thing" Brooke had never told anyone this before. Not even Lucas, in fact she wasn't sure anyone knew about the scare other than Lucas and Karen. And like it was something she and Lucas brought up on a regular basis either. They usually tried to forget about that part of their relationship.

"What'd you do?"

"Well when I found out I wasn't pregnant, I proceeded to lie to Lucas and keep telling him I was, and it made things even more screwed over to the point that after it was all over, I was still just as alone as I had been when I thought I was pregnant. It made me realize I didn't want to be like that anymore. That there were more important things out there than parties and drinking and sex"

"If you had been pregnant, would you have kept the baby?" Rachel asked. Brooke was kind of caught off guard by her question. She didn't want to lie to her, but she also didn't want to tell her something that could make he want to change her mind. But after thinking for a quick seconds Brooke decided it was probably best not to lie to her friend.

"Probably not. I mean that was almost 2 years ago and I was alone and pissed at the world. Here it is 2 years later, I'm a lot less pissed at the word and I have Lucas, and I still had some issues with keeping the baby"

"I'm just not sure anymore. At first it seemed like it would be ok. But now, I want to go to college and go to parties and have fun. Not be alone with a baby. So its either I keep it and be miserable. Or give it to someone who really wants it"

After giving Rachel a ride home, and promising to come over tomorrow and talk some more, Brooke went to the café to find Lucas. She found him standing in front of the refrigerator, not with it open like most guys, but closed looking at what Brooke guessed were the pictures. She hadn't seen him all night other than once talking to Peyton, so she really didn't know what was going through his mind at that moment. He was always in a weird mood after he had had a conversation with Peyton, and Brooke never knew why. She didn't really care why either as long as the talk with Peyton hadn't put him in some extremely good mood. Tonight he just looked tired as he stood there. She wasn't even sure if he knew she was standing there. It wasn't until she got closer that she realized that the pictures he was staring so intently at were the ones of him when he was little, or the little pictures he'd drawn that Karen had hung up to show off.

"Who knew you were actually once cuter than you are now" Brooke smiled wrapping her arms around his waist. He wrapped his around her in return but never took his eyes off the pictures, which made Brooke nervous. He obviously had something on his mind. Something big.

"Are we going to let our refrigerator look like this?" He finally asked looking down at Brooke, giving her a small smile as he brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Of course we are, you ok?"

"Yea just tired. How are you holding up?"

"Ok, it's been a long day" Brooke sighed leaning into his chest. She couldn't wait to curl up in bed with him and just sleep. That is until Karen came in and busted them like she did every night.

"I talked to Peyton for a while"

"Yea, me too. I think she's trying"

"She doesn't think we're telling each other everything" Lucas said catching Brooke completely off guard. But once she thought about it she really wasn't that shocked. She should have known Peyton would try and pull something like that.

"Really"

"You know if this gets too much for you, you can come to me right? About anything, now, after we have the baby. If you need a day to yourself, a week, you can tell me"

"Lucas, I know" Brooke whispered standing on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead. He was right, they didn't ever really talk about it, but she just assumed it was implied with them.

"I just don't want you to start missing what your old life and"

"Look at me, I'm not going to go all Nicki on you and run off, ok? Yea, I miss my old life but that doesn't mean I liked it anymore than I'll like the new one. I love us more than all the parties and alcohol. _Us_ meaning all 3 of us" Brooke said making sure to add the baby. She needed him to know she wasn't going to leave him like so many other people in his life had.

"We just don't ever really talk about those kind of things"

"Maybe its because we already know the answer. You think I'd still be standing here if I thought you were going to turn into Dan? I know you better than that. And you know me better than that"

"I'm sorry. I just want you to be happy" Lucas whispered kissing the top of her head. Brooke was pretty sure at that moment she fell in love with him all over again. She really was happy. As screwed up as her life was right now, she was probably happier with him than she'd ever really been.

"I am"


	12. Chapter 12

Hey Everyone! Here's chapter 12! I hope you guys enjoy it! Thanks for all the reviews!

"Lucas! Lucas wake up" Brooke whispered poking Lucas as hard as she could with her sharp nails to wake him up. With the deep sleeping Lucas usually did, Brooke had to all but sit on him to even get him to roll over.

"What"

"I think something's wrong"

"What?" Lucas asked, this 'what' sounding more concerned with the last. Brooke looked genuinely worried as she flipped the light on beside his bed. They'd never had to deal with anything like this before. So far both his mom, and Brooke's pregnancies had gone pretty smooth. Other than the morning sickness and the occasional dizzy spell both of them had been just fine.

"I just don't feel right. Give me your hand"

"Brooke"

"Seriously, do you feel that?" Brooke asked pressing his hand to her stomach. She left it there for a second waiting for him to say something, anything to explain what the hell was going on inside of her.

"Feel what?"

"That!"

"Brooke" Lucas yawned a little less concerned now seeing that Brooke wasn't actually in any real pain. Knowing her it was probably something she'd eaten. Ever since her clothes had basically all stopped fitting and she'd had to go up a size, she'd decided that she might as well eat whatever she wanted too… with whatever she wanted too. Meaning Pickles and Chocolate chip cookies were a perfectly fine snack.

"What's going on?" Karen asked looking pretty annoyed as she walked into Lucas's bedroom in her bathroom. She was so tired of having to separate those too.

"Brooke's 'feeling' things"

"I'm not crazy!"

"I don't feel anything" Lucas laughed kissing his girlfriends forehead to calm her down. He didn't know what he was going to do with her when she actually went into labor or had a real problem.

"I swear to god its there"

"Maybe its indigestion"

"Show me where it is?" Karen asked as Brooke put Karen's hand on her stomach and waited a few seconds.

"There" She shrieked as soon as she felt it again. It kind of scared her. It was happening on and off, and from what she had heard that was what happened when you had contractions.

"Brooke, its probably just the baby kicking"

"Wait what?"

"You're 16 weeks, the baby's getting big. You're going to start feeling it at some point" Karen laughed. She a lot of times forgot how scary stuff like that had to have been for someone like Brooke who had never dealt with it before. She remembered with Lucas everything was so new and scary she laid in bed crying at night.

"That's so… gross"

"Gross?"

"And sweet, just kind of gross" Brooke said trying to think of it in the best way possible. Not as some creepy thing swimming around inside but, but as a baby. Either way, it wasn't helping and she still found the whole thing a little gross.

"I know what you mean, when I felt Lucas for the first time, just the thought of something moving inside me gave me chills. But once it gets bigger you'll get used to it. Especially after they show you the ultrasound picture in the morning. Are you two going to find out the sex tomorrow?"

Brooke said "yes" and Lucas said "no" in perfect unison. Neither even beginning to guess that the other one was going to disagree. Brooke just assumed Lucas was going to want to know, and vice versa.

"Why not?"

"Don't you want it to be a surprise?"

"No, I want to decorate" Brooke said, in utter shock Lucas would actually want to be surprised about something like this. This was their child! There shouldn't any more guessing or surprises than there had to be in her opinion.

"I found out with Lucas and regretted it"

"See"

"Well I want to decorate and come up with a descent name and stop calling our baby it!" Brooke said deciding to put her foot down on this one. If he didn't want to know then she wouldn't tell him, but she definitely wanted to know.

"Have I taught the two of you nothing about communication?"

"Apparently not"

"Then I'm scared to ask what the two of yous ideas for baby names are"

Brooke, Lucas and Karen were all exhausted by the next morning when it was time for their 9AM doctors appointments. Brooke hadn't gotten any sleep after Karen had told her what was actually happening. The more she thought about it the less gross it was. But at the same time, it also added to her level of fear about having a baby. Sure she'd known she was pregnant for the last 4 months. But she didn't ever really think about there actually being something in there. And as weird and as gross as it was, there was actually something pretty awesome about being able to feel what no one else could.

Lucas on the other hand was exhausted and nervous, just like he always was at these doctors' appointments, especially the ones where Brooke and his mom went at the same time. It was like double the pressure and worry of something being wrong. With his mom it was one thing. She was his mom and so he didn't worry _as_ much, but with Brooke everything made him nervous. She was Brooke, _his_ Brooke, and that was _his_ baby. He hadn't realized that when they both told him they were pregnant that he'd feel so differently about his baby than he did about his brother or sister.

"What about Tula?" Brooke asked basically giving up. Lucas had rejected every single baby name she'd suggested anyway. She was seriously 2 seconds away from pulling the "whose giving birth to this baby?" line.

"It sounds like a fruit"

"Lucas, come on! I've given you like 20 names and you've turned down every one of them!"

"They all sound like fruit! I'm not naming out baby after fruit" Lucas laughed pissing Brooke off even more. He couldn't understand why she couldn't just go with a classic name. Something like Isabella or Summer.

"Fine, you come up with better ones"

"Nora"

"Gag me, that's gross" Brooke said making a gagging motion with her fingers. Lucas was seriously on crack if he thought they were naming their baby something like Nora. It sounded like her grandma!

"Summer"

"Ew! Lucas"

"Joshua" Lucas said basically naming anything he could think of that didn't sound like some island princess. It was pretty hopeless at this point.

"Oh My God. I cant believe you are this bad at the name game"

"Its better than Lucia"

"We could call her Lucy" Brooke whined resorting to her pitiful face. He wasn't playing fair and it was getting on her nerves.

"Lucy?"

"What ever happened to names like Michael or Jessica or Allie?" Karen asked ½ listening to the two between reading magazine articles.

"Boring"

"There's really no point in thinking of names anyway. You're going to have that baby and its not going to look like any name you picked out. Lucas you were originally Charlie, until I held you and looked into those squinty blue eyes"

"Brooke Davis" The nurse called from the doorway. This meant they're little name game was over for now, and Lucas couldn't have been happier. He wasn't sure he could bare to listen to anymore names that sounded like they could be used for a French poodle.

"Finally"

"Good luck you two"

Inside the room the doctor did the usual uncomfortable, awkward and totally embarrassing stuff that made Brooke want to puke every visit. And then the doctor finally to top it off, came the ending. The part that had become Brooke's least favorite part, the ultrasound. Brooke had hated this, just the thought of seeing what was inside of her made her almost queasy. Not to mention she'd never actually been able to picture whatever they were showing her as an actual baby. More of just a blob of grays and blacks. But according to Haley and Rachel today was the fun day. When they'd come at 16 weeks they'd actually gotten to see a baby, not just nothingness.

"Ok, before we start do you want to know the sex of the baby?" The doctor asked setting up the ultrasound machine.

"No"

"Fine, fine. I give for now" Brooke sighed not really in the mood to argue with Lucas right now. She'd just make sure to use this against him when she _really_ wanted something.

"Ok. Today we're going to do what's called a 4D ultrasound and actually made a video of the baby"

"You mean the nothingness?"

"Its there Brooke" Lucas laughed, kissing the top of Brooke's head. Brooke just rolled her eyes. That's what he'd told her every week. 'Its there Brooke' over and over. It may have been _there_ but that didn't make it any easier for Brooke to make it out.

"So I'm told"

"I think you'll be shocked today at what you see today"

"Really? Is there actually going to be some white mixed in there this time?" Brooke asked raising her eyebrows at the doctor. Days like this Lucas wasn't sure what he was going to do with Brooke. He just hoped she'd be able to see if was a baby once they had it.

"Brooke"

"I'm just saying I'm not all that impressed"

"And there's your baby" The doctor said after a few minutes of Brooke's mumbling. The room went completely silent for a minute. Lucas and even Brooke were almost speechless.

"Oh My God"

"See there, its sucking its thumb"

"It has thumbs?" Brooke asked in disbelief. She hadn't actually ever imagined the baby being a real person, at least not until now that she could actually see what it looked like.

"Oh yes"

"I see it!"

"Its about time" Lucas laughed shaking his head at her. He had to admit it was pretty amazing. After all the worrying and agonizing they had done about what to do, whether or not to keep the baby, what would be best for it, ect; Seeing this made both Lucas and Brooke forget about all the worry and everything, if just for a minute.

"Oh god, Lucas it's already squinting like you"

"That's what makes it so good looking"

"It looks so real. That's what's kicking me?" Brooke asked, still completely amazed by what she was seeing on the TV screen.

"Give it another few months, you'll be asking me to make it stop kicking"

"Its so sweet. Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Brooke" Lucas said giving her a look. But Brooke couldn't help but be curious. She really hoped it was a boy. She couldn't imagine anything cuter than a little Lucas, especially if he was blonde with those adorable blue eyes.

"I'm just asking if _he_ knows"

"I do"

"Damn it, Lucas please! Please please please! I really wanna know" Brooke begged. She could see it in Lucas's face he really wanted to know too, at least she hoped he did. He looked genuinely excited about it, which made her that much more excited.

"You can't wait 5 more months?"

"Are you really going to do this to me?"

"Please" Lucas asked, almost begging. Brooke could see the look in his eyes and so of course, as usual she caved. As much as she liked to torture her boy toy, if this was that important to him she'd wait.

"Fine, but I'm doing this for you. And you need to remember this when you're stuck painting a bedroom and buying all the appropriate colored furniture when we have a screaming newborn at home"

"Thank you"

"Ugh, you're lucky I love you so freakin much" Brooke whined rolling her eyes at Lucas as he gave her a quick kiss.

"Ok you two can come back and get the tape this afternoon if you want it. I'd also like you to bring a family history when you come. Medical conditions other family members have, things that could possibly be passed down to your baby"

The doctors last sentence haunted Lucas for the rest of the day. They'd been so caught up in other things the past few months, it hadn't accrued to him the baby could have HCM, or that he hadn't even told Brooke about his HCM yet. With everything that was going on it just never came up, and it wasn't like he was trying to not tell her. He just couldn't ever find the right time. Brooke on the other hand didn't have a worry in the world. As far as she knew her family, and Lucas's minus Dan of course were healthy. As far as the doctor knew she was healthy and so was the baby, so what did she have to worry about? Other than finding decent clothes that fit, which was her task of the day with Haley and Rachel.

"Luke, I'm going shopping. Lucas?" Brooke yelled looking down the hall for Lucas. He's basically disappeared once they got home from the doctor.

"Yea"

"You ok?"

"Fine, have fun" Lucas yawned putting his book down. It wasn't like he'd been reading it anyway. He couldn't concentrate on anything but his HCM and the fact that there was a 50 chance the baby could have it. It almost made him sick just thinking about it.

"Why the brooding? Seriously if you pass that brooding thing on to our kid I am going to hurt you"

"You used to think it was cute"

"I still think its cute, but stop worrying about whatever you're worrying about ok? Now kiss your hott girlfriend and be thankful you didn't end up with Haley, who's actually ok with wearing those god awful Target maternity clothes" Brooke giggled laying on top of him to kiss him. Luckily her stomach hadn't gotten big enough to prevent her from laying on Lucas.

"Have fun shopping"

"I always do. Although you know it would be so much easier to shop if I knew what the baby was"

"Uh huh" Lucas said squinting and nodding his head like he was putting a lot of thought into it just to drive Brooke crazy.

"Ugh, you kill me you know that?" Brooke whined giving him one last kiss before leaving him to his books.

"Be careful"

"Always, I'll be back at 2"

Lucas spent some more time brooding before he finally decided to go and talk to Karen about the whole situation. He knew she wasn't going to be happy that he hadn't told Brooke yet, but he didn't know what else to do. He had to tell the doctor, and obviously Brooke. It just wasn't going to be a fun conversation.

"What's wrong?" Karen asked automatically knowing that something was wrong with her son. He definitely wasn't in the hardest person in the world to read. But it was never easy to get him to talk about whatever was wrong.

"Nothing, what are you doing?"

"Just putting the ultrasound picture in the frame"

"Brooke's made a whole baby book already, only the baby's not going to be allowed to look at it until its 18 after some of the stuff she's written in there" Lucas laughed. The more he thought about it the more he thought they should just burn that book before the baby was old enough to read and comprehend some of the stuff Brooke had written in there. Such as a certain trampoline incident.

"I'm scared to ask what she's going to do with the video from today"

"We don't go back and get it until 2:00. We have to take a family medical history with us"

"You know Luke 50 could go either way. And if the baby does have HCM then at least you'll know from the start. You and Brooke will get through it" Karen promised realizing exactly what was on Lucas's mind. The odds weren't good, but she guessed they could have been worse.

"That's the thing, I haven't exactly told Brooke I have it"

"Lucas, did I drop you on your head as a baby or something? Why haven't you told her?"

"It hasn't come up?" Lucas asked. It was all he could come up with, and it was kind of the truth. It hadn't ever come up, at least not since he and Brooke had gotten back together.

"So you're telling me she has no idea that you have it, or that there's a 50 chance that her baby has it"

"Basically"

"I hope she kicks your ass into next week. What were you thinking?" Karen sighed, completely shocked that Lucas hadn't told Brooke. She'd just assumed that everyone knew now. After all he had quit basketball and was on medication. There was no telling what Brooke thought.

"I didn't want to worry her, and I didn't even think about the baby having it until today"

"You've got to tell her before you go to the doctor"

"I know"

Brooke was home by 2:00 and she and Lucas were at the doctor by 2:30. She couldn't figure out why Lucas had made them get there 30 minutes early, but he had his reasons. He figured if he told her in the doctors office and she like passed out or something then at least she'd be with a doctor. From the second they got there Brooke could tell something was up. Lucas was doing his nervous little hand motions that he always did before he was getting ready to tell her something really bad.

"Lucas stop" Brooke finally snapped slapping one of his hands. The fidgeting was driving her crazy. There was only so many times she could watch him tap his hands together before she went insane.

"Stop what?"

"The hand thing, you're making me nervous"

"Sorry" Lucas apologized. He hadn't even realized he was doing it.

"Thank you"

"We need to talk"

"Finally, you've been acting weird all day. But first, I have to tell you my master plan" Brooke smiled clapping her hands together. Lucas was almost scared to hear what this plan was from the look on her face. Normally that look wasn't a good one.

"Your master plan?"

"Yep, so Rachel, Haley and I went shopping today and found like nothing. So I was thinking ok well it cant just be us having this much trouble finding descent clothes. So your genus girlfriend has decided to make her own fashion line"

"Brooke, that's great" Lucas said actually really impressed with what she had come up with.

"I know! And then I will actually have clothes to wear!"

"You know it wouldn't be that devastating if you didn't"

"Not for you, anyway Haley and Rachel are going to help. Ok your turn" Brooke said, obviously kind of expecting his news to be just as exciting as hers. Lucas almost contemplated not telling her for a split second and then realized that wasn't really an option.

"You know I love you right? More than anyone in the world"

"This cant be good"

"Seriously" Lucas said taking both Brooke's hands. She could tell by the way he was looking at her that this wasn't going to be good. Not at all. He looked upset, and almost scared, which made her extremely nervous.

"Yes, I know that. Lucas what's wrong?"

"I've got HCM"

"What? No, you had the test. Lucas you showed me the test and it was negative" Brooke whispered taking her hands from hers. She couldn't believe what he had just told her. He didn't have HCM. She had seen the test. He had promised her that he was ok and that he didn't have it.

"That wasn't my test. It was Keith's"

"So you lied to me?"

"I didn't want you to worry. It was before we were together again and I just" Lucas really didn't know what to say. Obviously he felt terrible, and he had had it his way he would have never told her and made her worry. Or either he would have just never lied to her in the first place.

"Oh right, so since you lied to me before we were back together, it was ok to keep lying to be after we got back together"

"I'm sorry"

"I just don't get it. I tell you everything. How the hell are we supposed to have a baby together if you cant even tell me you have a damn heart condition? Does Peyton know? Did you tell her?" Brooke yelled not bothering to try and be subtle. She wasn't sure she'd ever been this pissed off at Lucas. Ever. How could he lie to her like this? Again! He knew better than anyone how she felt about lies.

"I think Haley slipped one day and told her"

"Haley knows? Does Nathan?"

"They both know" Lucas said, figuring he should be 100 truthful about everything.

"Of course they do. As usual I'm the last one to find out. Its nice to know I mean so much to you Lucas"

"Brooke, it's not like that. The only people I told were my mom and Haley. Haley found out and made me tell my mom. I just, I didn't want you to worry"

"Good job Lucas, you definitely saved me some worry. Why now? Why tell me when I'm 4 months pregnant? You couldn't just keep lying to be until after I had the…oh god" As Brooke spoke, it hit her why he was telling her this now, and she went from completely pissed to completely terrified in a split second. For a second all she could do was stare down at her barely noticeable stomach for a second and try to keep from crying.

"Brooke"

"What are the odds? Damn it, Lucas tell me the odds" Brooke yelled giving up on the not crying part. It was like her worst nightmare doubled. Lucas having it was bad enough, it had been her biggest fear until he had told her he didn't. But the chance that there could be something wrong with the baby hurt a lot worse then she'd ever thought it would.

"50/50"

"No, no they have to be better than that. I don't have it"

"Neither does my mom" Lucas whispered. Brooke realized he was right, and it hurt even worse. She didn't know whether to slap him or just fall into his arms and cry. Both seemed pretty tempting at that moment.

"No. Our baby does not have it. I wont let it"

"Brooke, calm down"

"You're telling me to calm down? I just found out you've been lying to me all this time about having HCM, and now there is 50 chance my baby could have a potentially deadly heart disease and you're telling me to calm down?" Brooke asked deciding that maybe slapping him would have been the better option.

"Brooke"

"No! Don't you dare give me that look. I… I"

"Brooke what's wrong?" Lucas asked as he watched Brooke stop mid-sentence to grab her back.

"My back is killing me"

"Lets go get the doctor"

"Don't touch me" Brooke yelled not wanting anything to do with him at that moment.

"There you two are, Brooke what's wrong" The doctor asked as Brooke and Lucas walked to the back of the office.

"My back"

"How long?"

"It's been hurting all day, I just thought it was from sleeping on it funny" Brooke said, not liking the concerned look the doctor had on his face.

"On and off? Cramping?"

"Kind of, why what's wrong?"

"We just need to make sure its not pre-term labor"


	13. Chapter 13

"It looks like you're just having Braxton Hicks contractions. Nothing to be worried about, a lot of women have them, most don't even feel them"

"So nothing's wrong?" Lucas asked feeling the relief hit him as he looked down at Brooke, who still had tear marks across her face.

"She's fine, the babies fine"

"Thank god"

"Ok you're free to go" The doctor said handing them the tape they had originally come for.

"Thanks"

"Let me know if you need anything else"

"Sure, thanks again" Lucas said walking out into the empty waiting room behind Brooke. He could see her hands still trembling as she walked from being so scared.

"Here"

"What are these?"

"My keys. Go home, I can't be around you right now" Brooke said giving him her best death glare. She knew if she spent anymore time with him right now she was going to say something she'd ultimately regret.

"Brooke"

"Lucas, I'm not kidding. Just go. I'll call Haley or someone. Please, Lucas. I'll be fine"

Brooke waited and finally Lucas left. She wasn't as mad at him as she had been an hour ago but she was still furious. It was just the fact that he had lied to her about something that big. She didn't care what his intentions or reasons for lying were, it was just the fact that he had done it. Now she just had to think of someone to call to come and get her. Haley came to mind first but the more she thought about it the more she realized Haley had been lying to her too. Then there was Peyton, whom Brooke really didn't want to give the satisfaction of knowing she and Lucas were fighting too. Rachel had enough problems as it was or Brooke would have called her. Brooke needed someone she could talk too.

Lucas couldn't really bring himself to go home after he left Brooke, so he decided to go to Nathan and Haley's instead. He walked in without knocking, as usual and laid back on the 70's style couch Brooke had decorated the place with. Nathan was on the couch watching a game, and Haley was in the kitchen cooking and making a list of things they needed to buy before they made the move to Durham in a few weeks. As weird as it was, Nathan and Haley were your basic typical married couple, only a lot younger. Haley did the house work, cooked, shopped and worked at the café, meanwhile Nathan had his job and whatever else he was doing these days. Their life seemed so typical and plain. It made him wonder how they had any fun.

"What you do this time?" Haley asked rolling her eyes at Lucas. Nathan hadn't even bothered asking, figuring it was something stupid as usual and Lucas and Brooke would be making out again in no time.

"I told her about the HCM"

"What?"

"Why dude?" Nathan asked trying to figure out why the hell he would do such a stupid thing. He knew Lucas liked to be honest and whatever, but he figured even he was smarter than telling Brooke he'd been lying to her about HCM for a year.

"She had to know, in case the baby has it"

"How'd she take it?"

"Not well" Lucas sighed falling back onto the couch. He was starting to wish he'd just stayed and talked it out with Brooke. But in usual Brooke and Lucas fashion they had to run away from each other and make the fight as big and dramatic as possible.

"I can imagine. I bet she's pissed"

"Pissed and scared. You should have seen her face when she realized the baby had a 50 chance of having it"

"Even if it has it, it can live basically a perfectly normal life" Haley said trying to comfort Lucas. She could see the fear in Lucas's eyes too. She couldn't even begin to imagine how scared she'd be if she knew her baby had those same odds.

"Basically being the key word. Not to mention I've lied to her about it for a year now"

"She'll be ok Luke"

"She's probably not too happy with you two either" Lucas added figuring he should let them know Brooke knew that they had been lying too.

"Thanks"

"This is why I didn't want to tell her. She's not enough on her mind as it is"

"How about you, how are you doing?" Haley asked, more worried about Lucas then she was Brooke. She wasn't sure what this kind of stress would do to him. He was under enough as it was already.

"I'm worried about her"

"Where is she?"

"I don't know" Lucas sighed. He hadn't realized how bad that had sounded until after he had said it. But what was he supposed to do? Brooke was her own person and was going to do whatever she wanted no matter what she said. Especially when she was upset.

"Good going Lucas"

"She said she needed her space. I don't want to piss her off anymore than she already is"

"So you let her go off alone? Genuis"

"What was I going to do? Tie her down and make her stay and talk to me?" Lucas asked. That was about the truth. They knew as well as he did Brooke wasn't going to do anything she didn't want to do.

"Good point, so what are you going to do until she talks to you again?"

"Lie here on your couch and brood"

"Nope, sorry my birthing class is coming over tonight and we're having a meeting. You've gotta go" Haley said, motioning for Nathan to get him up off the couch so she could finish getting everything ready.

"Your birthing class?"

"Yea. We learn how to be better pregnant women and moms"

"Wow, Nate. I'm sorry man" Lucas sighed patting Nathan on the shoulder. He'd rather be dealing with pissed off Brooke, then be in a 'birthing class' any day.

"Yea, thanks"

"You suck you know that?"

"Good luck on being a better pregnant women" Lucas smiled grabbing Brooke's keys from the counter. He really wasn't sure where he was going to go next but he knew he was definitely getting out of there before the birthing class got there.

"Yea, and good luck in your marriage counseling"

"Ha, we're not married"

"Oh it will save you money on a divorce then" Haley laughed, then realized it really wasn't that funny.

"You know it's really not as funny when we're sarcastic about real stuff"

"Yea, sorry. Good luck with Brooke. Let me know if you need anything"

Brooke stood outside the doctors office waiting for Mouth. Finally 30 minutes after she'd called him he showed up with the windows rolled down and the BBC blaring from his radio. Brooke was actually a little surprised he had come. It wasn't like they had been on speaking terms lately as it was. But he was the only person she could think to call at the time.

"Thanks for coming" Brooke smiled climbing into Mouth's passenger seat. It was a lot more awkward then she had expected. He didn't have his usual smile that he had when he saw her and that kind of hurt.

"Lucas run off on you?"

"No, well kind of but I made him. I was afraid if I looked at him anymore today I was going to kill him"

"What happened?" Mouth asked, deciding that he would hurt Lucas himself if he had hurt Brooke. But he knew that wasn't true. As much as he hated to admit it, Lucas was always good to Brooke, meaning he never hurt her on purpose.

"Lucas is an ass"

"What did he do?

"He's got HCM" Brooke said rolling her eyes at just the thought. But really just saying those words hurt. Not so much because he had lied anymore, but more because she was worried. All she knew about HCM was that it had almost killed Dan.

"So he told you, I didn't think he ever would"

"You knew too?"

"After it got out we talked about it. Whether you believe it or not he was worried about you" Mouth said being straight with Brooke about the whole thing. Brooke didn't doubt that Lucas was worried about her but in her eyes that didn't make lying to her right.

"I know he was, but that's not the point. He lied to me Mouth. How are we supposed to have a baby together if we cant talk?"

"Remember when you got back from New York, and you told me what a miserable time you had?"

"Yea?" Brooke asked not seeing where Mouth was going with this. What did New York have to do with anything?

"And so the next day I was talking to Lucas and all he could do was go on and on about how he was so glad you'd had such a good time. Why didn't you tell him you hated it?"

"I didn't want him to be here worrying about me when there was nothing he could do about it"

"Maybe he didn't want you worrying about his HCM when there was nothing you could do about it. There is such a thing as lying with good intentions Brooke. Sometimes we lie to protect the people closest to us" Mouth said, not looking at her as he spoke. She could tell this was hard for him. Helping the girl he loved get back together with her boyfriend.

"I'm just so scared. What if something happens to him Mouth? I need him, I can't do this by myself"

"He's going to be fine Brooke"

"The baby has a 50 chance of having it. What am I supposed to do then?" Brooke asked feeling what she wasn't sure were butterflies or the baby moving in her stomach.

"Love it like you would if it didn't"

"Loving its not the problem Mouth. I'm terrified of loosing it. I fought Lucas so hard on the issue of not keeping it and now, now I can't imagine not having it. I didn't know you could love someone you've never even seen so much"

"Imagine how Lucas is feeling. If the baby has it, its his fault" Mouth said but Brooke was quick to correct him. None of this was Lucas's fault other than the lying. He hadn't asked for HCM, and definitely hadn't hoped that their baby might have it.

"Its not his fault"

"You should probably be sure and tell him that. I know you're mad Brooke and I know you're hurting but think about all the times Lucas has been there for you when he was hurting too. Maybe you should just go home, tell him you love him and let this one slide."

"Thanks Mouth. We should do this more often. Talk like this" Brooke smiled. It was nice to have someone else to talk to other than Lucas, who told her like it was.

"See, then we'd both be lying"

"What do you mean?"

"Pretending like we can be friends without all the weirdness. I can't do that Brooke. Then I'm the one who's lying"

"I'm sorry you feel that way Mouth"

Brooke had Mouth drop her off at the café so she could grab something to eat before heading home to face Lucas. Now instead of being completely furious she was worried about how he was handling everything. Today hadn't exactly been an easy day for either of them.

The café was completely crowded as usual on a Friday afternoon. Full of people whining for more coffee or pie. Brooke was kind of disappointed to see that Whitney and Peyton were working today, knowing good and well she'd have to end up talking to one of them before she left. She was also surprised to see Rachel sitting at a corner table alone with a piece of un-eaten pie sitting in front of her. She looked like she was in some sort of trance and there was no telling how long she had been sitting there.

"Hey Rach. Rachel?" Brooke said waving her hands in front of Rachel's face to grab her attention. She was almost completely out of it.

"Oh, hey Brooke"

"You ok?"

"Fine, just staring out the window" Rachel said stating the obvious.

"So I saw, that pie looks pretty messed up"

"Yea, I wouldn't eat it. Its been sitting here since this morning"

"You've been sitting here since this morning? Rachel" Brooke sighed, deciding that it was time that someone talked to Rachel about everything. She and Haley had been avoiding it with Rachel for a while now, just because neither one wanted to pry. But clearly the girl was in serious need of a gal pal.

"I talked with an agency today about giving the baby up for adoption. I can't do this anymore Brooke"

"God, Rach come here"

"I tried, I really did but I just can't be as good with this as you and Haley are" Rachel cried, breaking down right there at the table. Brooke felt terrible. None of them had realized things had been this hard on Rachel. They just all assumed she was dealing with it like they were. As best they could.

"Me? Rachel Believe me I'm not any good at this. Today I thought I was in labor when really I was having these stupid things called Braxton Hicks or something"

"Still. I'm just not excited. I want to go to college and be a kid and have parties and meet a guy. I can't do that with a baby from someone I didn't even love"

"Yea" Brooke sighed giving Rachel a sad smile. She wasn't exactly sure what to say. She'd never been in a situation anywhere near what Rachel was going through.

"I still have the option to change my mind at any time. Its just now I have this as an option"

"Options are good"

"Hey Brooke, have you seen" Karen asked bringing Brooke a glass of milk to the table.

"Your ass of a son? No"

"I take it he told you"

"Oh yea, he told me" Brooke smiled and rolled her eyes. She was still pretty pissed.

"Don't be too hard on him, but I don't think it would be bad of you to make him worry a little longer. I'll get you a sandwich"

"You're really lucky to have her"

"Karen? Yea. I was worried at first, and I mean she's annoying as hell a lot of the time, but she's been so much help" Brooke said trying to imagine where she and Lucas would be without Karen there to calm their irrational fears about every little thing.

"It's amazing how she had Lucas when she was our age and he turned out, well kind of ok. From what I hear if he hadn't met you he would have made it through high school a virgin"

"Why does everyone blame me? When I met Lucas he would have had sex with a wall if it had asked him too"

"Really?" Rachel laughed almost spitting out her drink.

"Ok well that's a lie. He was kind of iffy about it at first, but as soon as I took my bra off there was no turning back. Amazingly he's still that way. Something about that boy and boobs. He'd hand pick my bras if I let him"

"I can't imagine Lucas like that"

"The boy likes his sex, what can I say" Brooke giggled shaking her head.

"Is he good?"

"Of course. He had me as a teacher"

"Seriously though" Rachel asked so Brooke decided to tell her the truth.

"He's sweet. Most guys are just in it for the sex ya know? But he always finds some way to make it sweet and romantic, and never boring"

"See. That's what I want"

"What? Fun sex?" Brooke laughed, guessing that Rachel could probably find that in a lot of places in Tree Hill.

"No, that smile you have when you talk about Lucas. The way you blush and kind of look down at the table while you talk"

"He's a good boyfriend, even if he isn't the brightest all the time"

"What guy is?" Rachel laughed trying to think of just one decent straight up completely nice guy who wasn't gay.

"Seriously"

"Well I better get going, Karen probably wants her table"

"Hey, if you ever need to talk or anything" Brooke said, hoping that Rachel would take her up on the offer if she needed too.

"I know, thanks"

Brooke came home to find an empty dark house. It was actually kind of depressing. She figured Lucas would have been home long before now. So after giving up on finding anything good on TV, and doing a little much needed research on HCM, Brooke sat down at the kitchen table and did her favorite thing in the world. She read her letters from Lucas. He was so sweet in all of them, Brooke wished he had been sending them to her her whole life. That was when her newest idea hit her.

Brooke spent the rest of the night working on her new _project_ until Lucas finally came in the side door around 12:30. She could have killed him for making her wait so long, but being the good girlfriend she was, she hugged him instead.

"God Lucas where have you been? I was worried!" Brooke whispered leaning into his chest as she hugged him. He apparently hadn't been expecting that judging from the shocked tone in his voice.

"You were worried?"

"I've been home for 5 hours thank you very much"

"Sorry, I went to the river court for a while" Lucas finally hugging his girlfriend back. She was being so nice it kind of worried him. This definitely wasn't the same Brooke he'd left earlier today.

"I think I made up with Mouth today. I'm not really sure"

"Haley and Nathan live boring ass lives"

"Sounds like we both had productive afternoons" Brooke giggled leaning farther into his chest as he held her.

"I'm sorry Brooke"

"Don't. You did what you did and as much as hurts, I understand why you didn't tell me. It doesn't make it hurt any less but I get it" Brooke said not leaving his arms the entire time she spoke. She didn't want to fight about it anymore. At least not tonight.

"I didn't do it to hurt you, I just"

"Didn't want me to worry? Lucas you've gotta let me worry about some of this stuff or else you're going to be miserable. And if it's going to be that way when why are we together? I'm not going to break Lucas, but you _are_ if you keep keeping all this stuff to yourself. I was reading about HCM and stress is one of the worst things for it. What am I supposed to do if something happens to you Lucas? I cant loose you"

"You're not" Lucas whispered kissing the top of her head as he hugged her.

"How do I know that?"

"Because I wont let that happen"

"I love you too much and I don't want to do any of this if you're not here to do it with me" Brooke said trying to make it as clear as possible that she needed him and he had better not go anywhere if he knew what was good for him.

"I will be. I'm sorry you have to go through this babe"

"You're comforting me and you're the one who's got HCM"

"That's because I love you too much" Lucas laughed pulling her chin up so he could kiss her for real this time.

"Are you scared?"

"Of what?"

"Getting sick?" Brooke asked leaning back into his chest.

"Not as scared as I am of the baby being sick"

"I got bored while you were gone and I did all the little urban legends to tell if it's a boy or a girl"

"Really? And?" Lucas asked laughing. He was scared to ask what she had come up with doing god only knows what to their poor kid.

"Its definitely a boy"

"Hopefully he'll inherit my rugged good looks"

"Uh huh, and your fabulous taste in girls" Brooke added kissing him.

"Yea, I love those curly blondes"

"Lucas!"

"Come on Pretty Girl, let's get some sleep"


	14. Chapter 14

Hey everyone. Sorry for the long wait. A lovely thing called Food Poisoning has kept me out of commission for the past 2 weeks. Its bad stuff, I'm not gonna lie. But after a nice little stay in the hospital and some fluids to get be back on my feet, I have a chapter for you guys! Its kind of a cliff hanger, and some of you MAY not be happy with the ending of this chapter, but its there for Drama's sake, and you never know what will happen mhahaha… ok I swear I'm not evil. Thanks so much for all the reviews! You guys rock! Please keep up the awesomeness!

Two weeks had passed since Lucas had told Brooke about the HCM, and now came the most stressful part of all. The doctor had talked to Brooke and Lucas, and decided that maybe an amnio would be best, to go ahead and test the baby for HCM. This way they would all be prepared for any complications that could be because of the disease. Brooke wasn't really thrilled about the thought of having a giant needle shoved into her stomach but she guessed she really didn't have much of a choice. She'd been even more ok with it when the doctor had casually mentioned that they'd be able to tell for 100 certainty whether or not the baby was a boy or a girl. So Brooke had decided that she'd be a compliant patient for once and have it done.

On top of that Brooke and Lucas were both getting things ready for their move to Chapel Hill. Their apartment wouldn't be ready for another 9 weeks but Brooke figured they should at least start doing the big stuff, considering 9 weeks from now she'd be almost 7 months pregnant and as big as Karen. So things like class schedules, jobs, and anything else that could be done from Tree Hill were being taken care of while they were still there.

Brooke and Lucas had talked about it, and since the baby wasn't due until the beginning of December, Brooke figured she'd take the fall semester off and start classes in January for two reasons. 1 so that she could rest and get ready for the baby, which was what she'd told Lucas, and 2 was just for the basic fact that she didn't want everyone on campus to see her pregnant. Since it was a fresh start no one there knew her history or all her drama, and she really wanted to try and keep it that way by keeping school school and her personal life at home.

Lucas on the other hand was basically booked solid that first semester. Taking a full load of classes, and he'd found a pretty good job editing articles on the campus news paper. Luckily that was something he could do at home, meaning Brooke wouldn't be alone all t he time. So other than he actual moving in part, Brooke and Lucas had basically gotten everything ready.

Karen had decided to go with them to the amnio for the added support, meanwhile she'd left Haley, Deb, Peyton and Whitney in charge at the café since it was so busy. Karen wanted to make sure and be there for Brooke and Lucas, no matter what the news was. Especially Brooke, Karen had been especially worried about her for the past two weeks. She'd catch her rubbing her stomach or just lying in bed staring off into space. Karen knew better than anyone that there was no bigger fear than what a mother felt when she was worried about her child.

"Ready? Where's Brooke?" Karen asked having Lucas join her in the kitchen, but Brooke was no where in site.

"Bathroom puking. I thought morning sickness was over a long time ago"

"Its her nerves Luke. She's terrified. I know you're scared too but we both need to stay as positive as possible for her. She doesn't need that added stress on her body right now"

"Hey Babe, you ready?" Lucas asked, seeing Brooke make her way into the kitchen. He tried to put on a more positive face but it was hard. He hadn't ever been this nervous about anything in his life.

"Yea"

"Everything's going to be fine"

"Hey" Lucas whispered kissing Brooke's forehead to comfort her. He could feel her tremble a little as his arm went around her, and wished there was something he could do to make things easier on her today.

"Lets just go get this over with"

At the café Deb, Haley, Whitney and Peyton were busy dealing with their costumers. Since it was summer in Tree Hill, Karen's café was at a costumer high. All age ranges from teenagers hanging out, to elder people sitting together for coffee. Peyton watched as all kinds came in and out with their food. Teenagers whose biggest worry was what swim suit to wear to the beach party. Parents bringing their children in for breakfast, before heading out to the beach, they all had somewhere to be and lives it live. Days like this made Peyton wonder where she'd be in 10 years. Would she be married? Have kids maybe? A descent job? She hoped she'd at least be out of this town but who knows.

A lot of days she'd sit behind the counter and imagine what her life would be like. She'd be married, sometimes to Lucas, sometimes to Jake, but married nonetheless. She'd have a nice house, and maybe a family to come home too after she spent her days drawing and painting. She loved to have these fantasies, but lately they were getting harder and harder to have when she saw all her friends living them. Sure, they weren't really fantasies for her friends she guessed. Who really wanted to be pregnant at 18 anyway? But there was still something about it, something that made Peyton jealous. As wrong as it was she wished she were the one having Lucas's baby. She wished she were the one he stayed up with all night talking, and comforting. The one he was most likely going to spend the rest of his life with. She'd told Whitney about it a few times and of course Whitney had gone on and on about how it probably wasn't going to work out in the end for any of them. But Peyton couldn't help but wish that maybe it would for her and Lucas.

"Hey Haley, do you think Brooke and Lucas will get married any time soon?" Peyton asked deciding that Haley would know the answer to this question better than anyone. After all she was really good friends with Brooke and Lucas.

"Soon? Maybe in a few years, but he doesn't want to do anything until he's sure she knows its not just because she's having the baby"

"You think it will last?"

"Why wouldn't it?" Haley asked, kind of surprised Peyton would ask her something like that. What was Haley going to say? No? Truthfully Haley didn't know. No one did. Haley wasn't even sure about her own relationship right now, much less Brooke and Lucas's.

"They're so young, and she's so insecure"

"I wonder why"

"Haley" Peyton sighed realizing Haley wasn't going to be as easy to talk to as she thought. Clearly Brooke had been telling Haley everything.

"Peyton I'm not playing your little game of screw with Brooke and Lucas. Just leave them alone ok? They're going through a lot right now"

"Who says I'm trying to screw with them?"

"Please Peyton, the wedding was only 3 months ago, and I'm guessing you're feelings for Lucas haven't changed much since then" Haley muttered still surprised Peyton was even doing this. The way Peyton felt about Lucas wasn't some huge secret. It was pretty obvious, even if you didn't know the history that Brooke and Peyton were clearly fighting about something big.

"Brooke told you?"

"Actually Lucas did"

"Oh" Peyton said quietly. She had kind of hoped that Lucas would have made a bigger deal about it. Maybe come and talk to her about it once he found out.

"Peyton what did you expect? Him to just magically say 'Oh Peyton loves me now, forget Brooke?' He's completely in love with that girl and I don't know why you just can't let them be happy"

"You didn't have much trouble saying 'Oh I'm famous now, forget Nathan' now did you?"

"I'm sorry he doesn't feel the same way about you Peyton but bitter really isn't flattering on you" Haley sighed. She didn't have time to deal with Peyton's usual whining today. She had problems of her own. Like that fact that she was 5 months pregnant and she and Nathan still weren't making enough to support a baby or get an apartment.

"I remember when we first started hanging out you told me you didn't see Brooke and Lucas as some love story"

"We were all a lot different back then"

"People keep saying we were all so different back then, how much we've changed and matured. But do people really ever change? I mean Dan plays nice all he wants, but he's still the same asshole he was in high school. And Nathan, I thought he'd really changed there for a while but clearly he's back to his old ways" Peyton said, knowing she'd hit a nerve. A big one at that. Everyone knew Haley and Nathan were having some marital issues. Nathan hadn't come out of that water the same person who had jumped in and the stress of it was starting to show on Haley.

"That's different"

"Maybe, but you just wait. History always repeats itself Haley. It's a fact. Now I guess its just a matter of when that it starts itself over"

Brooke flipped through the pages of the corny parenting magazines while they waited. The articles entitled "How to know if you're a good pregnant woman" and "10 ways to know if you'll be a good mother" were starting to make her head spin. It hadn't helped that she'd failed almost every one of the quizzes about babies and motherhood. Who knew you had to feed a baby like 10 times a day. Not to mention all they did was eat and sleep. Just when she was starting to feel a little bad about her scores, she heard Lucas mutter something under his breath.

"Damn it"

"What?"

"I only got 3 out of 12 right" Lucas whispered squinting down at his quiz results. How was he supposed to know the best way to nurse a baby or burp it? He'd never even held one.

"Really? I got 4"

"That really doesn't make me feel any better"

"I feel smarter already" Brooke smiled, not bothering to tell him she'd only gotten that last one right because she'd cheated of the one Karen was filling out.

"Ah, and this one definitely doesn't apply to me"

"How to know if you're wearing the right bra? Well let's see Lucas, is it leaving marks on your back?"

"A few?" Lucas asked trying to keep a serious face while taking the quiz.

"Are you hanging out of it?"

"Wait, that's not a good thing?"

"Is your boyfriend having trouble un-hooking it" Brooke burst out laughing suddenly imaging Lucas wearing a bra and Tim trying to un-do it.

"He really is"

"Then you may need to go down a size"

"That's depressing. I really thought I was getting bigger" Lucas sighed feeling his chest. He was glad to see Brooke laughing at least for a little while.

"Its ok broody, I've gone up enough for the both of us"

"You two kill me"

"Karen what did you make?" Brooke asked, seriously hoping Karen had done as badly as they had on the stupid test.

"12 out of 12"

"Figures"

"Show off" Lucas coughed.

"I'm going to look for a teen people or something, Lucas?"

"I'll come with"

Karen couldn't help but smile watching Brooke and Lucas make their way through the waiting room looking for magazines. As much as she worried about the two of them as parents, she knew better than anyone that being a young parent wasn't _all_-bad like people liked to make it out to be. As hard as it was going to be for them, Lucas and Brooke were going were still going to get to feel the happiness and love every parent felt, no matter how old they were, and she looked forward to that for them. Just as Karen had lost herself in her thoughts, thinking back to when Lucas was younger and how much she had enjoyed him as a baby, she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Karen Roe?"

"Maggie" Karen said standing up to give her old friend a hug. Maggie and her daughter Faith had been really close friends of hers and Lucas's for years before they had moved. Lucas, Faith and Haley being best friends for ages. But now it had been years since she'd seen Maggie, she almost didn't recognize her or Faith.

"Sweetie I had no idea! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, and you?"

"My oldest daughter Hope is having her first. Finally, I've been waiting for her to give me a grand baby since she got married last year" Maggie laughed clearly excited to be there.

"Congratulations"

"I'll tell you, you have no idea what that feeling of finding out you're going to be a grandmother feels like. Its insane"

"Oh, I have some idea. Faith, how have you been?" Karen asked changing the subject as fast as could. It didn't really seem like the time to throw out the fact that Brooke was pregnant.

"Great. I'm going to Duke this year"

"That's wonderful. Lucas is going to be at Carolina"

"How is that boy? I haven't seen him since he was that shy awkward 14 year old" Maggie laughed; Karen did too but for a different reason. Lucas definitely wasn't at that awkward age of 14 anymore, in fact he didn't even look like the same boy.

"He's right over there with Brooke looking for a descent magazine. I think Brooke got a little annoyed after failing her 10th parenting test"

"Brooke Davis huh? I didn't see that one coming"

"Oh, they're still together?" Faith asked, a little shocked that it had lasted this long. When Lucas had told her he was dating Brooke Davis, she figured it was one of Brooke's passing flings and that she would have moved on by now. Leaving Lucas with someone like Haley.

"She's a sweet girl"

"Crackwhore! Do they have no good magazines anymore?"

"Most of the time" Karen sighed amazed at Brooke's ability to completely ruin a compliment, about herself.

"Karen is she"

"18 weeks"

"I'm sorry?" Maggie asked, not exactly sure what to say. After all what were you supposed to say to something like that?

"We're staying positive"

"This is going to sound terrible but, is it Lucas's?" Faith asked watching in the corner as Brooke beat Lucas with a magazine as he tried to tickle her.

"Of course it's Lucas's"

"Sorry, I just. She's Brooke Davis, when we moved she'd already slept with half the school. This is the same girl whose boobs were all over the Internet at my school for like a week"

"Excuse me?" Brooke asked making it back to her seat just in time to hear her name and boobs in the same sentence.

"Ah Brooke we were just discussing your topless debut"

"Oh my proudest moment"

"You looked beautiful" Lucas laughed kissing her cheek. If there was one thing Brooke loved most about Lucas, it had to have been his optimism. Somehow he managed to put a positive spin on everything embarrassing she'd ever done.

"Lucas, look who it is"

"Faith, um Brooke you remember Faith?"

"No?" Brooke asked not totally sure how she was supposed to know this girl.

"Freshman year?"

"Um"

"She used to hang out with me and Haley?" Lucas asked trying to jot Brooke's memory. He knew Faith basically hated her as it was, so the faster he could get Brooke to remember Faith, the better it all looked.

"Luke, babe I didn't really pay much attention to you freshman year. I was kind of in love with that creepy skater kid who was a junior that Peyton stole from me, stupid whore. Hey, maybe I should re-introduce them. I hear he's a fan of coke birds too"

"Anyway this is Faith"

"Nice to meet you" Brooke smiled still having not a clue who the girl was. She really hoped she wasn't one of Lucas's ex-girlfriends, but then again she wasn't really sure if Lucas had actually ever had a girlfriend before her.

"Brooke Davis?" The nurse called from the back room.

"We've gotta"

"You know we could probably stay out here and talk a little while, catch up"

"Come on" Lucas said helping Brooke up from her seat. Brooke would have don't anything to just sit there and not have to go back.

"Do we have too? I'm sure the baby doesn't have HCM I mean it's probably just"

"Brooke"

"Fine" Brooke finally sighed leaning into Lucas's shoulder. She guessed it was better to find out now then have to wait until the baby was born and have something go wrong. But she really wasn't looking forward to that needle.

"It'll be fine you two" Karen comforted and watched as Lucas took Brooke's hand and walked her back to the back. Now came the hard part. Waiting. They wouldn't know anything for two weeks at least but there were also definitely complications that came with the amino. Miscarriages being near the top of the list. She tried to keep her mind off of the bad and try and focus on the good but it wasn't easy.

"Karen I cant believe, I mean I just. This must be your worst nightmare"

"After what I've been through this year I've learned they're a lot worse things out there than having a baby" Karen sighed thinking for a second about Keith and how much she wished he was here. Things had been getting better, but it still hurt so bad.

Once in the back room Brooke decided to do whatever she could to take her mind off of what was getting ready to happen. It hadn't helped that the nurse had said that it might be a while. Why did doctors always make you do that? Come in like 2 hours before they actually saw you. Lucas looked just as nervous as she did sitting in the corner reading another corny parenting magazine. Brooke didn't even want to ask what the articles in this one were talking about, so she decided to entertain herself for a little while, which wasn't hard once she found her patient chart sitting on the corner of the desk.

"Hmm, lets see" Brooke sighed flipping through the pages of the chart. There had to be something interesting in there.

"Brooke!"

"What? It's my chart! Why can't I look at it?"

"Because you shouldn't" Lucas said trying to snatch the chart out of her fingers. Of course it didn't work. Brooke had a death grip on it as she flipped through the pages and pages of medical whatever until she finally found something she could understand.

"Brooke Penelope Davis"

"Brooke"

"Hey, you think it says if it's a boy or a girl in here?" Brooke asked deciding that this thing might actually be more useful than she had originally thought.

"Brooke don't" Lucas whined hitting himself in the forehead with his magazine. Why did he even bother? She wasn't going to listen to him anyway.

"Hey, I thought you said I should read more"

"More as in how to change a diaper?"

"Why? That's what you're for!" Brooke giggled deciding to put the chart down and be nice… for now.

"And what exactly do you plan on doing?"

"Sleeping, working out, showing off how cute the baby is, and other completely selfish but similar acts"

"Explain to me why I love you again?" Lucas asked shaking his head at her. She just grinned.

"Because I'm so hot, and good in bed, completely irresistible, not to mention I to that eye brow kinking thing. Need I say more?"

"I think all my embarrassing speeches have finally gone to your head. I'm gonna go check on my mom. Be good"

"Always" Brooke smiled, and then the second she was sure he was gone she grabbed the chart and flipped through it as fast as she could. She couldn't help it. He may have wanted to be surprised but she sure as hell didn't. She needed to be prepared, and start thinking of names and important things like that. She kept flipping through until she finally found a page near the front that was labeled "Baby status". Maybe this was what she was looking for. Patient name: Brooke P. Davis. Status: 16 weeks 4 days on last exam. And then there it was. What she'd been looking for the entire time. Sex of the baby: and written it bright bold letters beside it **male.**

Brooke slammed the chart closed as fast as she could at the sound of footprints at the doorway. The fear of getting caught right then was enough to give her, her own heart condition.

"Hey, you ready? The doctors coming in"

"Yea" Brooke whispered still a little shaky from almost getting caught, not to mention from what she'd just read.

"Ok Miss Davis, are you ready to get started?"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15! YAY! So this chapter took me a really long time to right. It was really hard and I wanted to make sure I captured everything in a sensitive way. I'd say I hope you guys like it, but it just doesn't seem fitting. So instead, I hope you guys _understand_ it remember that everything happens for a reason. Please review.

"Lucas this is going to be so much fun" Brooke shrieked clapping her hands together. She loved planning a party more than anything, and this one was going to be perfect. Sure it couldn't have alcohol, but that was easily replaced with hot male strippers she had booked.

"Brooke, aren't you supposed to wait and throw baby showers near the end of the pregnancy?"

"I don't know, I've never been to one. Anyway it doesn't matter. It's going to be awesome!"

"I'm really not sure my moms going to want Snow Patrol playing at her baby shower" Lucas laughed wrapping his arms around her waist. He wasn't sure his mom was going to want any of this, but ever since Brooke had regained all her normal energy she had to be doing something every second.

"Oh but you do… see they can play our song and we can just sit in the back and make out through it"

"Which is _our_ song?"

"All of them" Brooke whispered kissing his lower lip to tease him.

"On the other hand Snow Patrol would probably be a good band to have"

"I thought so"

"You know this is really sweet of you to do this for my mom" Lucas said in all seriousness. He questioned how Brooke could still function with all the stress they'd been under lately, much less plan an entire party for his mom. Although he had to admit, it did help them both keep their minds off of what today was. Today was the day the results came back from the amnio and they were both a little on edge.

"She deserves it after everything she's been through Luke. Everyone can pamper her and wait on her for a day, except us that is"

"Why not us"

"I told you, we're making out in the back room" Brooke giggled kissing him again, this time more passionately.

"You two are so gross"

"Aw, I'm sorry tutor mom"

"For what?" Haley asked, a little confused what Brooke was apologizing. Brooke never apologized for PDA, if anything she just flaunted her love for kissing Lucas more.

"That your married sex is so boring"

"Sex? What sex? Nathan refuses while I'm pregnant"

"Wow, ok why?" Brooke asked, actually feeling really bad for Haley, and Nathan. Who in their right mind would go 9 months without having sex. Then again Nathan hadn't exactly been in his right mind much lately as it was.

"Don't ask me. Lucas stop blushing we know you don't refuse"

"That's my boy" Brooke giggled slapping Lucas's butt before going to grab more decorations. She actually found it kind of amusing that Lucas was the one not turning down sex.

"Nathan's actually in a really good mood today"

"Its because I finally caved and we found out it was a boy"

"Aww! Haley that's awesome" Brooke shrieked almost dropping the balloons she was carrying. It was even more exciting knowing that they were both having boys. They could totally play together and be friends. Plus Brooke knew her baby would be way cuter as it was so it just made everything that much more perfect.

"We're still not finding out"

"Damn it Lucas! I need to decorate"

"You mean the apartment that we don't have?" Lucas asked as Brooke pretended to still not know. She'd actually gotten really good at the whole thing. Not that Lucas would have any reason to think she knew anyway. As far as he knew she was still as completely in the dark as he was.

"You're killing this for me"

"Hey, I told you no lifting anything heavy"

"I'm not helpless" Brooke whined handing over the box of decorations she had tried to get away with carrying.

"Just listen to me and let me help you. You've got your phone right? Incase the doctor calls?"

"Yes, stop worrying, its fine" Brooke said showing him that her phone was on and in her purse in case it rang. She was as anxious as he was to find out the results of the test.

With Brooke at the tail end, all 4 of the women had made it to the half waypoints of their pregnancies. Karen was in the lead at 28 weeks, the sex of the baby still unknown. Followed by Haley at 23 weeks having a boy, Rachel at 21 weeks still in denial about the whole thing, and Brooke at a solid 20 with what only she knew was a boy. This left all of them all, minus Karen full of energy and antsy to be doing something every 2 seconds. Leaving Lucas and Nathan completely worn out.

Brooke had decided since Karen had now hit 7 months, it was time to throw her a baby shower. Not just any baby shower, but _the _baby shower. So with the help of Rachel, Haley, Deb, Peyton, and Whitney, and of course Lucas, Nathan and Mouth for heavy lifting they had planned what was to be the most fabulous baby shower to ever take place in Tree Hill for Karen.

Brooke still wasn't exactly getting along with Peyton, Whitney or Mouth but they did all care about Karen so Brooke decided to be nice and let them help out. So Mouth was Djing, Whitney had provided all the corny baby games, and Peyton had booked Snow Patrol just like Brooke had asked. So far everything was going as planned, although in Brooke's opinion things would have been going much faster if Lucas had actually let her do something. Ever since the doctor had told them the baby was a tiny bit on the small side, Lucas had worried constantly about both of them and didn't want Brooke doing anything strenuous.

So Brooke was stuck sitting on the stage supervising what everyone else did. Not that that bothered her so much. Lucas usually sat with her and said corny things to her stomach that made her laugh and wonder why she was in love with such a dorky guy. But she loved him for it. The farther along she got, the better everything got. Now they actually enjoyed talking about _their_ baby and making plans for the future. In the beginning Brooke had had a fear that the baby was going to be something that she and Lucas were stuck with. Something that took away from _their_ time together. But now their late nights lying in bed together, that use to be spent with kinky sex games and whipped cream, were now spent feeling the baby kick or with Lucas listening to the baby's heart beat. (Of course they still had their kinky sex games too, after all they were Brooke and Lucas)

Brooke still occasionally locked herself in the bathroom to cry, as did Lucas. After all they were still teenagers and the stress still got to be too much for both of them sometimes. But over all, everything seemed to be getting better. Even for Nathan and Haley now that Nathan was finally getting back to his normal self somewhat. Rachel on the other hand Brooke still worried about. But today Brooke had decided not to worry about Rachel, and plan for Karen. They had invited all of her friends, the older ones, and of course the younger ones. Brooke figured more people, more presents.

"Hey Hales, wanna know a secret?" Brooke whispered to Haley once she was sure Lucas was out of earshot. She'd been keeping this a secret for 2 weeks now and it was starting to get to her a little.

"Always"

"You can't tell Lucas"

"Ok" Haley agreed reluctantly. She really didn't like it when Brooke asked her to lie to Lucas. Sure, they were never big lies but that didn't make her feel any less guilty about doing it.

"No seriously, he'd kill me"

"You slept with Chris Keller again?"

"Ew no! When I was at the doctor last, I looked at my chart, by _accident _of course, and _accidentally_ flipped to the page that might or might not have said what the baby was" Brooke said, checking one last time to make sure Lucas was no where near. As much fun as this way for her to know, she really didn't want to ruin the whole thing for him.

"Let me guess… Alien?"

"Haley!"

"Kidding, what is it?" Haley laughed rolling her eyes at Brooke. This shouldn't have surprised her. She was Brooke after all. Of course she had to sneak around behind Lucas's back and find out what the baby was. That was just what she did.

"A boy"

"No way! Brooke, that's awesome"

"But Lucas has no idea, and it has to stay that way. He's like seriously insistent that we be surprised" Brooke said making sure she got the last sentence completely through Haley's head. If she slipped up in conversation and said she knew, Lucas would freak.

"Not a word. This is so awesome, at least we know our kids will have friends"

"And kind of scary, 2 more Scott boys?"

"We're doomed" Haley sighed taking in what Brooke had just said. 2 more Scott boys. Of course they weren't brothers, so maybe that would mean they wouldn't be completely screwed up like the past two generations had been, but still none the less, the last name Scott on a boy was never a good sign for whoever was having to raise the kid.

"Hey, so when is Karen coming?" Peyton asked causing Brooke and Haley to completely shut up about their previous subject. If there was anyone who didn't need to know the little secret, it was Peyton.

"I'm going to get her after her doctors appointment"

"And she still has no idea?"

"Nope, none what so ever" Brooke smiled, pleased with how well she could actually keep a secret, at least in this case.

"Well guys we did good"

"Meet back here at 7?"

"It's going to be awesome!"

Brooke had always found it crazy how incredibly good a day could start out. Waking up to her boyfriend kissing her cheek, then setting up for the perfect party with her friends, laughing and talking about old times. And then to suddenly have everything turn around and go down hill so fast, starting with just one phone call.

**1:45 PM on JULY 4th**

"Ah, that's my cell" Brooke said rummaging through her purse to find her cell phone. She and Lucas had been walking downtown together for the past hour, just waiting for the call, but neither were really ready to hear the news.

"Doctor?"

"Nope, your mom. She may have finished early. Hello?"

"Brooke, I just wanted to let you know the doctor wanted to send me in for a few tests so I may be running a little late" Karen said on the other end of the phone. Her voice didn't sound anything out of the ordinary so Brooke didn't think much of it.

"Where are you? You want us to come and wait with you?"

"No, no it's nothing serious. You know how the baby's been flipping around like crazy lately and they're having trouble doing what they need to do in the exam with the position its in"

"Ok well call us if you need us" Brooke said, as Karen hung up before she could barely get the words out. It was a little weird, but then Karen wasn't the most normal of people Brooke had ever met. Especially when it came to her phone skills.

"What?"

"Apparently they've just got to run some more tests and so she's going to be a little late. Which is fine because I've got a ton to do"

"Like what?" Lucas asked putting his arms around her waist to kiss her.

"Like shop, and spend all our money, and meet up with my 4 other boyfriends and explain that sadly they baby isn't theirs"

"Uh huh"

"Yea, rough day. Anyway that means you get to go hangout with your other girlfriends" Brooke whispered getting as close to his lips as she could, without actually touching them.

"Meaning Skillz"

"Junk, and Fergie? Yea basically. Hey, you can check to see if they're wearing the right size bra"

"Or, you and I could just to check to see if you're wearing the right size" Lucas said, doing that little head scratching thingy he always did when he was talking about something 'dirty'. It made Brooke giggle. Her boyfriend was such a dork sometimes, but she loved every second of it.

"Uh huh, and would this involve me taking my bra off?"

"Just so I could you know, examine"

"Ok no more. You can, 'examine' all you want tonight" Brooke giggled actually kissing him this time. Normally she would have let him do all the 'examining' he wanted too. But today she actually had a lot of stuff to get done before the party, and as much as she loved hanging out with her boyfriend. When it came to party planning the poor guy just slowed the whole process down.

"Why do you tease me?"

"Because I like to see you squirm. Now go hang out with your friends"

"Brooke" Lucas whined clearly not wanting to leave her. But today Brooke wasn't going to give him a choice. He needed to hang out with his friends and she needed to do her own thing.

"Go, I'll call you if I hear anything"

Do her own thing. At least that's what Brooke had told Lucas all day. The truth was she was planning on ditching him until after she talked to the doctor. She didn't want him there when she found it yes or no. She knew that if the test was positive, then she was going to break down. But more importantly she knew that Lucas was going to have a lot harder time with this then she was, especially since he was the one who carried the gene. Of course Brooke didn't blame him at all for any of it, she knew none of it could be helped. But she also didn't want him to have the stress of seeing her cry when she found out. The way she saw it, it was her turn to be strong for him and the only way she could do that was if she had some time to herself if it was positive.

**4:45 PM on JULY 4th**

Brooke had spent the rest of the day actually pretty bored. She'd finished everything for the party up yesterday and so she didn't have to be back there until 7:00. Anything that had to do with moving was already taken care of, or at least the stuff that could be done. So this left Brooke wondering aimlessly downtown looking through all the little shops. Not that that was fun for her either. She'd put all clothes shopping on hold until December when she could buy her normal clothes again. So Brooke did the only thing that seemed interesting to her at the moment. She stopped at Kilwins and got ice cream. That was when the un-thinkable had happened. Brooke was just sitting down on a bench outside eating her strawberry ice cream cone when she noticed a new store across the street. The Storks Nest. Normally Brooke avoided these stores like the plague, not even bothering to look into the windows as she passed, but today, maybe out of sheer boredom Brooke decided to ignore the awkwardness and walk in.

The store was cute in Brooke's opinion, painted in pastel blues and greens with little storks painted everywhere. She'd never actually been in a store like this. Everything was so sweet and soft, normally it would have made her nauseous. But lately she'd had a soft spot for anything that was cute or cuddly, not that she'd ever let anyone else in on that fact. The entire store almost had her in a trance as she picked up the tiny baby clothes and hats, that was until her cell phone rang playing her usual "My Humps" ring tone.

"Hello?" Brooke asked trying to hide her face as all the people in the store stared.

"Brooke, its Karen"

"Hey, you ready?"

"Um, they need to do more tests" Karen's voice on the other end of the line worried Brooke. It definitely wasn't her usual calm, sweet yet slightly annoying voice that she always had with Brooke. She was almost whispering now, and her voice was shaky.

"Karen its almost 5"

"You think you and Lucas could come and sit with me"

"Lucas isn't with me but I could" Brooke offered sincerely worried by the tone of Karen's voice.

"If you're not busy"

"No, I'll be there in a few"

Brooke left the store as soon as she put all the items back where she'd gotten them from, and then drove to meet Karen at the hospital. She was surprised to see when she got there that they'd put Karen in a room and even had an IV started. Brooke had been concerned, but she definitely hadn't expected this. As she started to walk into Karen's room, one of the nurses grabbed her before she had a chance to twist the knob.

"Do you know Mrs. Roe?"

"Yea she's my, um, boyfriends mom" Brooke answered, not ever really sure what to call Karen. 'My boyfriends mom' always seemed so awkward and un-personal. Especially when she was as close with Karen as she was.

"Do you know where we can contact any immediate family?"

"Um, its just Lucas, and me I guess"

"You're related?" The nurse asked, clearly not understanding Brooke's 'my boyfriends mom' comment. Brooke couldn't figure out why the nurse looked almost in a panic. Like begging Brooke to be something other than just an acquaintance to Karen.

"I live with her? Is everything ok?"

"We've been trying to get a family member here for a while. We like to have a support system in place before"

"Before what?" Brooke asked feeling her heart sink into her stomach. The look on the nurse's face said it all. Brooke wasn't sure what, but it was bad whatever it was. Why else would Karen need a support system?

"Is there anyway you can get in touch with her son?"

"I tried calling him on the way here, he's with his friends probably playing basketball, which means his phone is on the table. I'll keep trying"

"Dr. Owens this is" The nurse said franticly grabbing the OB-GYN as he passed them by.

"Brooke Davis, yes she's one of my patients also. She'll work"

"I'll work?"

"We've got some hard news to tell Karen and we didn't want to do it without anyone here" Dr. Owens said, giving Brooke a sad look. Brooke couldn't figure out what they meant by 'hard news'. Was there something wrong with Karen? Maybe the baby?

"What do you mean?"

"Normally we wouldn't wait, but after everything she's been through this year loosing Keith and… we just wanted someone here"

"What's going on?" Brooke asked feeling her eyes starting to burn. She really didn't need him to say anymore to know what was going on. She wasn't sure how, or why, but she knew.

"When we went to do the ultrasound today, we, well we couldn't find a heart beat"

"What?"

"After further tests we determined the fetus isn't viable anymore" Dr. Owens said, patting Brooke's shoulder. Brooke wasn't sure if she felt like crying or throwing up. What did he mean 'not viable'? He made it out like it was just something that didn't work anymore.

"Viable?"

"It looks like she lost the baby Brooke"

"What? No, no she was talking about how much it was moving around and kicking her like yesterday" Brooke said, knowing he just must have had the wrong person. Brooke had felt Karen's baby kicking just last night. Karen had been picking out names and nursery colors.

"Sometimes babies in this stage of pregnancy will twist around and tie knots in their own cords, cutting off blood flow"

"Oh my god"

"I'm so sorry" The nurse whispered while Brooke just stood there as her own baby kicked. It was suddenly like a cruel reminder that she was going to have a baby and Karen wasn't. Suddenly she felt guilty, and almost selfish for having a healthy baby when Karen didn't.

"No, we're throwing her a baby shower tonight. You need to check again"

"We have Brooke, multiple times"

"Well check again. She can't loose the baby. Not after loosing Keith" Brooke cried, it finally really hitting her what this meant.

"It's very important that we tell her soon, that way she can go ahead and have the baby"

"No, she can't. I need to call Lucas"

"She's going to need someone to hold her hand and be there while we tell her. Can you do that?" Dr. Owens asked, helping her into a chair. Brooke wasn't sure she'd be able to contain herself while they talked to Karen.

"I- ."

Brooke sat there for a second speechless. How was she supposed to go in there and do that? Listen to them tell Karen that she'd just lost her baby. Keith's baby. There she was, having a baby that she hadn't really wanted in the first place at 18, meanwhile Karen had wanted a baby with Keith more than anything. And now that was gone. Brooke thought if anything, she was the worst person to be in the room with Karen when they told her. If Brooke could already see how un-fair this was, Karen was definitely going to be able too.

After a few more minutes of letting everything process through her head again and again and again. Brooke thought about all the times Karen had been there for her when she probably hadn't wanted too. One being after Brooke got pregnant. And now, as hard as this was going to be, she had to be there for Karen.

"Brooke, she needs you right now"

In the room Karen was lying in bed in her black v cut shirt Brooke had brought her for her birthday, obviously worried about something but not knowing the full extent of what was going on. Brooke just stood there for a second and watched her. She was just laying there, one hand on her stomach, the other wiping a black tear from her cheek where her mascara had run. She clearly knew something was wrong, but Brooke guessed she probably had no idea it was this bad. Just the thought of Karen sitting there thinking her baby was fine broke Brooke's heart. It was all she could do to keep from breaking down right there.

Brooke listened and watched in pain as the doctors explained everything to Karen. From the time Karen's eyes filled with tears, until she collapsed back into her bed in pure devastation, Brooke just sat there in almost a trance. Still in disbelief that something this bad could ever happen to someone like Karen, who'd done nothing to deserve it. She'd always been a strong believer of 'Everything happens for a reason' but Brooke was seriously starting to doubt that. There was no good reason for this to happen, no good reason for anyone to loose something that special to them. She couldn't begin to imagine what she'd feel like if this were happening to her, and the more she imagined it, the more her heart ached for Karen. Finally, after the nurses had given Karen something to calm her down Brooke decided to get as far away from that room as possible without leaving Karen all alone. So once she was sure Karen was out of it enough to not realize she wasn't there anymore, Brooke slowly crept out of the room and out into the hall.

She'd barely made it out of the room before her own tears started flowing again and she had to lean against the wall for support. Finally, she just let herself with the support of the wall, fall to the floor and buried her face in her hands. She sat there for a few minutes, just like that, letting herself cry until her face started burning from the salty tears. Then, out of almost pure fear, took her hand and pressed firmly on her stomach until she felt her baby kick back.

Part of Lucas knew what had happened from the second he walked in and saw Brooke sitting on the floor with her face in her hands, and then from the look she gave him. After that, everything went hazy. By the time he got into the room to see his mom, she was delusional from all the medications and still believed Keith was alive. And for the next 9 hours, with Brooke by his side, until around 3:00AM when Lucas had called Haley to come get Brooke, who was emotionally and physically exhausted from the day. He hated to see her go, but he also didn't want her to have to witness anything that was going to make this harder on her than it already was. So he stayed here with his mom until she finally had the baby. By then the medication had finally worn off and reality had set in for everyone as the doctor handed Karen the baby wrapped in a blue blanket. Karen decided to name him Conner Owen after Keith's middle name, and Dr. Owens. The worst part for Lucas was how normal he looked. Like he was just resting or asleep.

Brooke didn't realize until she got to Haley and Nathan's that she had a new voicemail on her phone. She didn't check it for 45 minutes after seeing it was there, just out of pure fear. Finally after locking herself in Nathan and Haley's bathroom Brooke picked up the phone and called her voicemail.

"Brooke, Lucas. This is doctor Jenkins from the genetic lab. I was just calling to let you know that the tests came back, and the baby tested _negative_ for HCM"


	16. Chapter 16

**Happy Thanksgiving!! (Almost!) so I know that last chapter was hard on you guys (it definitely was on me) but just remember, I'm not THAT mean, I swear! Everything happens for a reason ;) Thanks so much for all the reviews! I hope you guys like this chapter and have great Thanksgivings!!**

_All alone I, didn't like the feeling  
All alone I, sat and cried  
All alone I, had to find some meaning  
In the center of the pain I felt inside _

All alone I, came into this world  
All alone I will, someday die  
Solid stone is just sand and water, baby  
Sand and water, and a million years gone by…

Two weeks had passed since Karen had lost her baby. There had been a small funeral service a few days after, for close friends and family.  
It had been sad for days, and pretty quiet around the house but slowly  
things started to get back to almost normal, at least for Brooke and  
Lucas. Lucas had spent a lot of time just being thankful for what he  
did have, and a lot of sleepless nights just lying there with his hand  
on Brooke's stomach as she slept. Loosing his brother had hurt more  
than Lucas could have ever imagined, although it was mostly because he  
ached for his mom and her pain. He couldn't even begin to comprehend  
how he would have felt had it been him and Brooke's baby. There was  
just something about it being their baby that made everything  
different. Now he worried every second about the both of them. Every  
time Brooke looked pale or tired or even coughed funny, he worried.  
Then there was his mom. He'd spent most of his time worrying about her  
lately too. Sometimes he wondered if she was even going to be there in  
the morning when he woke up. She was just hurting so bad, and there  
was nothing he could do or say to her.

"Luke, go to sleep" Brooke whispered trying to roll over. Lucas's new  
found obsession was making it completely uncomfortable to sleep at  
night. Sure, she understood that he was worried and anxious and  
basically a wreck and she felt for him, but if she didn't get any real  
sleep soon she was going to put him out of his misery herself.

"I'm just thinking"

"Can you think without your hand on my stomach? I think the baby  
thinks it's a punching bag"

"As long as it's still kicking" Lucas sighed, finally taking his hand  
off Brooke's stomach and placing it on her cheek as she lay there.  
Maybe he should just get up. The sun was coming up anyway and he  
wanted to get some things done around the house for his mom.

"That I can promise you. Luke, the doctor said its pretty rare ok?"

"I just"

"Didn't realize we'd end up loving it so much?" Brooke smiled, half  
asleep. She knew she sounded like a hallmark card but she also knew  
that's what he wanted to hear. They both needed the re-assurance right  
now, no matter how lame or corny it sounded.

"Yea"

"Me either"

"I just feel so bad for my mom" Lucas sighed. This was the point  
Brooke realized she wasn't getting anymore sleep. Not that she minded,  
she was glad that she could be there for him. That he was actually  
talking to her about this and being open. It wasn't easy for Lucas to  
talk about how he was feeling, so if he was ready. She'd be there.

"I can't even begin to imagine"

"I think I'll go check on her, make sure she's still there"

"Luke, just let her be alone. I know I'd want to be" Brooke said  
before Lucas had a chance to get up. No, she couldn't imagine what  
Karen was feeling, but she could guess that Karen didn't really want  
to talk or be checked up on. At least not yet.

"I can't lay here anymore"

"Good, maybe I can get some sleep now. Go do something productive"

"Like?" Lucas asked. What was there to do productive? School was out;  
everything was ready for their move that could be ready. The house was  
clean, Deb, Peyton and Whitney were running the café. There was  
nothing left to do.

"Oh my god, you are helpless"

After finally being threatened by Brooke, Lucas decided that he'd let  
her be and go find something to do. The problem was what? He  
remembered he had had a life before Brooke Davis, he just couldn't  
remember what he had done with it. He'd spent a lot of time reading,  
but of course that meant him being at home and since Brooke had  
insisted that he go out, reading was off the list. Basketball wasn't  
exactly a great option either, he was stressed enough as it was so  
physical activity probably wasn't the best idea. Then there was music.  
He hadn't been to CD alley in ages. Not that he was really sure what  
good music was anymore. Lately his brain had been contaminated with  
all of Brooke's CDs and music, so he wasn't sure what was what now.

CD Alley looked and smelled the same as it always had. Dirty and  
musty. It was almost as empty as usual too. Just the few people  
sifting through CD's and records. Lucas looked around for a few  
minutes trying to decide if he really needed anything, then he saw  
her. Peyton standing in the corner sifting through the record section.  
He thought about just walking out for a second, at least he did until  
she'd seen him.

"Haven't seen you here in a while" Peyton smiled, genuinely happy to  
see Lucas. Standing there staring at him for those few seconds he  
almost looked like the old Lucas, or the real Lucas as Peyton liked to  
call him. With his plain gray shirt, jeans and spiky blonde hair.

"It's been a while. Brooke threatened to strangle me if I didn't leave  
her alone for the day"

"Smothering her are we?"

"I just worry" Lucas ½ laughed. He wasn't sure if this was ok or not.  
Standing here like this talking to Peyton. He guessed Brooke probably  
wouldn't have said anything, since they were getting along a little  
better now but he still felt guilty for some reason.

"How's your mom?"

"Not great"

"I was gonna come over but, I just didn't know what would be a good  
time or when" Peyton said, realizing that this was the first time  
she'd seen Lucas since Karen had lost the baby. This made her feel  
guilty.

"She just appreciates you guys keeping the café going"

"I wish it hadn't been her, she was so excited"

"Yea" Lucas sighed hoping for a change of subject. All he had heard  
for almost 2 weeks now was how sorry people were and how they wished  
it hadn't been her. And as nice as that was… wishing didn't make  
anyone feel any better.

"So you've got the whole day away from the house right?"

"Yep, I'm trying to remember what I did before Brooke"

"We could do something if you want" Peyton offered, but already knew  
his answer. She wasn't even sure why she even tried anymore. It was  
almost a hopeless cause. Brooke had him so whipped.

"I"

"We don't have too, I just didn't know if you wanted to get a drink or  
talk or something. I didn't know if you had"

"Brooke and I have" Lucas said, and then realized how obvious he had  
been with this lie. Ok, so it wasn't a complete lie. Brooke had  
talked, and cried and he'd comforted her and promised her everything  
had been ok. But when it came to him talking, he'd tried to avoid it  
with Brooke. It was hard for Lucas to talk to Brooke about painful  
stuff, especially when she was already going through so much. He hated  
to add that extra pressure on her.

"Have you really?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I know you love her Luke, I'm not saying that she's not the girl of  
your dreams and that you're not head over heels in love with her or  
whatever. But I do know its not always easy to talk to the people you  
care about most" Peyton said, being completely honest. She could tell  
she'd hit something with Lucas right then by the look he had in his  
eyes.

"1 drink"

Back at home Brooke was spending the day in her room working on her  
newest fashion line. She'd discovered it was much easier to design her  
own maternity clothes than actually have to buy them, plus the money  
she was making from them wasn't bad either. She was trying to think of  
what to draw next, when she heard the banging and the crashing. She  
didn't know what to think at first, and didn't realize what it was  
until she walked into what would have been Karen's baby's room.

"Karen, what?" Brooke started to ask watching as Karen basically tore  
the room apart. Taking pictures down and the changing table apart. She  
even had a gallon of paint sitting on the floor.

"All this needs to come down"

"I'm sure it can wait"

"No, now it needs to be down now. Where's Lucas? I need him to move  
the crib" Karen said, not stopping her destruction of the room as she  
spoke. Brooke didn't know what to say. She didn't want to upset her  
anymore than she already was, but she also didn't want Karen to regret  
tearing down the whole room completely in a few days.

"He went out for the day"

"Why would he do that?"

"Because I told him too? I thought he needed to get out of the house"  
Brooke said, trying to put things back up as fast as Karen was taking  
them down.

"Well then you can help"

"I, Karen maybe you should take a break"

"I don't want this stuff in here anymore" Karen muttered ripping the  
baby bedding from the crib.

"Here, why don't you at least let me try and call Lucas, he can do the  
heavy lifting"

"Please don't, I cant, I don't want him here right now"

"Ok" Brooke whispered seeing the seriousness in Karen's eyes. She  
wasn't crying anymore, and she seemed much less hysterical.

"I don't want him to see me like this"

"He understands Karen, we all do"

"He's my baby and it hurts to see him right now" Karen whispered, and  
Brooke put away her cell phone. She could see the pain in Karen's face  
as she said it and realized that she really needed for Lucas not to be  
here.

"He just wants to help"

"You'll understand soon enough. That little baby is going to be  
everything to you. Just promise me something"

"Of course" Brooke promised, a little worried about what Karen was  
going to say next.

"Remember"

"Remember what?"

"The first time you hold it, that feeling you have as you look down at  
your child. Something that's all yours and no one can ever change  
that. Unconditional love. You'll love it the same that very second its  
born, that you do when its 4 and driving you crazy. Children change  
your life whether they live or not. I- I loved that little baby as  
much as I love Lucas. You remember that second Brooke, and the way you  
feel when you see that baby for the first time because it's going to  
get you through some pretty rough times. I'm excited for you. Lucas  
too of course, but its different being a mother. Fathers love their  
children yes, and believe me Lucas is going to love that little baby.  
But you, this baby is going to become you're entire world and no  
matter how old you are, no matter what you went through or how much  
you didn't want it at first. For the rest of your life when you look  
back, having this baby will be the happiest day of your life, and I  
want you to remember every second of it"

Lucas didn't even hear his phone as Brooke tried to call. He wasn't  
even sure what he'd done with it. Normally Lucas wasn't a big drinker,  
especially after the problems that Keith had had with it. But today, 1  
drink had turned into 2, and 2 to 4 and after drink it was easier and  
easier to talk. Even if it was to Peyton. They talked about a lot of  
stuff that Lucas had avoided with Brooke, mostly because he didn't  
want her feeling unsure or worrying. Everything from Keith's death, to  
his mom loosing the baby, to Brooke being pregnant.

"Ok, seriously though. Boy or girl?" Peyton asked just curious to know  
what Lucas's opinions on the matter were. She'd have to remember to  
keep it in the back of her mind for when Brooke actually had their  
little "bundle of joy"

"Girl"

"Why?"

"Then I can't be Dan" Lucas answered truthfully. Becoming Dan was his  
biggest fear and it would be so much easier to avoid being anything  
like him if he had a girl.

"Did you ever, even for a second think about leaving Brooke like Dan  
left your mom? Or at least understand why he did it? I mean it's a  
tough position to be in"

"Not for a second. I don't know what it is about Brooke Davis but I  
just know its right"

"Then why can't you talk to her the way you're talking to me?" Peyton  
asked, making Lucas go silent for a few seconds. For once she wasn't  
trying to make Lucas re-think his relationship with Brooke. She was  
just curious on why Lucas was here talking to her instead of Brooke.

"Do you think its possible to love someone too much? I mean I know, no  
doubt in my mind that I want to be with her forever. Its not that I  
can't talk to her. I just see her, with those sad eyes especially now,  
knowing she's depending on me to be strong and help her through this.  
How's she supposed to lean on me if I'm crying to her?"

"Is she having a hard time with this?"

"It's just a lot of stuff that's been forced on her and she's had to  
choose the lesser of two evils" Lucas sighed, downing some of his  
drink. It made his stomach churn just thinking about those first few  
weeks.

"Do you ever wonder why? I mean like why did your mom loose the baby  
she was looking so forward too; meanwhile Brooke's still pregnant with  
something she didn't want? Don't you just kind of wish it'd been  
Brooke instead of your mom?"

"I can't answer that"

"Luke it's just you and me. Believe me, I don't judge" Peyton said,  
jogging his memory of the little deal they'd had at the beginning of  
their conversation. There was to be no lying about anything. All  
truth.

"I really don't"

"What?"

"I hate this more than anything for my mom. She lost a child, which is  
something none of us can even begin to comprehend. And that's just the  
thing. It wasn't my child" Lucas said trying to make it sound as least  
selfish as possible. But it was the truth, as sad as he was for his  
mom, he was so grateful it hadn't been his baby.

"Lucas you don't have a child yet"

"When Ellie came back and seemed to love you so much I never really  
got why. I guess that's why I was so suspicious of her at first. I  
mean it wasn't like you were really ever her kid. She had you and then  
gave you away. But from the second Brooke told me she was pregnant I  
loved that baby. The idea of it terrified me and as much as we both  
didn't want it to be true, but it was still ours. And as screwed up as  
the whole situation is, as much as it sucks that we're barely 18 and  
that we didn't plan this. At the end of the day, even after all the  
pain and struggling just to get through. Just to help this one thing,  
something you've never even met. Something you didn't even want in the  
first place safe. You realize exactly how much time and energy you've  
put into it. It's your child from the second you find out, whether  
it's born yet or not, you love it just the same"

"This has aged you more than you know" Peyton sighed giving Lucas a  
sad smile. Peyton guessed the only person that got to see the old,  
boyish Lucas now was Brooke and it was kind of sad. Lucas wasn't  
himself anymore to anyone but Brooke.

"I've always been an old soul"

"Its good to know you're taking care of her Luke. You know how I feel  
about you. It's the best un-kept secret in Tree Hill. And as much as  
it hurts to watch you and Brooke doing this. I'm glad you're taking  
care of her. She needs it"

"That girl's everything to me" Lucas said after a long pause. The more  
he sat there talking about her the more guilt he felt for being here  
with Peyton.

"I know. And you're everything to her too, so talk to her Luke. I know  
it's easier to try and protect her from getting hurt but, its going to  
hurt her more if she thinks you're talking to everyone but her"

"I guess you're right"

"I know I am. Lucas she's having a baby for you, and don't try and  
convince me other wise because we both know if it were anyone else's  
baby she wouldn't be having it. You've got all of her, and now she  
deserves the same from you" Peyton said in her most serious voice.  
Lucas was a little surprised to have her lecturing him about Brooke.  
Normally she was giving him reasons not to be with Brooke.

"You're being really… helpful. Why?"

"Maybe I'm not as big of a bitch as everyone in Tree Hill thinks I am"

"Maybe" Lucas laughed, but he still wasn't totally sure about that one.

"Or maybe it's the drinks talking, now get out of here before I try  
and jump you or something"

Brooke spent the rest of her day doing various things that needed to  
be done around the house for Karen, but couldn't ever really  
completely focus. Karen's little speech had hit her hard and she  
wasn't sure she was ready for everything Karen was talking about. Her  
plan had been to love the baby yes, but mostly she'd figured she'd  
basically let it be Lucas's kid when it came to most everything except  
things like showing it off and maybe tucking it into bed every night.  
But the way Karen had made it sound she was going to be spending a lot  
more time with this baby then she'd originally planned and Brooke  
wasn't totally sure she was ready for that.

She decided to not focus on her selfish worries for now and just be  
thankful she still had her baby. And maybe focus more on the fact that  
it was almost 5PM and Lucas still wasn't home, and she hadn't talked  
to him all day. Usually when he was out he was calling her constantly  
to see if she needed him and if she was ok, but today she hadn't  
gotten so much as a text message until her phone finally rang sometime  
after 6:00.

"Hello?" Brooke answered, hoping it was Lucas. Of course all that hope  
disappeared the second she heard a girls voice on the other end of the  
line.

"Hey Brooke, its Peyton"

"Oh, hey?"

"I just wanted to give you a heads up on Lucas" Peyton said trying to  
word everything as carefully as possible. She actually for once didn't  
want Brooke to worry that she and Lucas had been off doing anything  
bad, But she did want Brooke to know that he should be home soon, and  
maybe have a heads up that they had been together.

"What's wrong?"

"We went and had a few drinks. Just as friends, just talking but I  
didn't want you to worry"

"Drinks?" Brooke asked almost dropping the phone. She wasn't sure she  
even believed Peyton. Lucas wouldn't do that to her. Just go have  
drinks with Peyton, and god only knows what else.

"He needed it, but nothing happened obviously, unless you count him  
whining about how you're the girl for him as something"

"Right"

"Anyway he should be home soon" Peyton said quietly trying to let the  
awkward moment pass. Talking to Brooke was so hard now, even if it was  
just a short phone call there were always the awkward silences that  
hovered as soon as one of them finished talking.

"Thanks Peyton"

"You take care of him Brooke, Ok?"

"I will"

By the time Lucas got home, Brooke was sitting on the couch sketching  
in her sketch book. He was a little shocked to notice that she didn't  
even look up when he walked in, shutting the door loudly behind him.  
He wasnt sure if this was because she was completely concentrating on  
her sketches, or if she was just completely pissed off at him. So in  
true Lucas Scott fashion, Lucas decided to be as charming as possible  
to his girlfriend, and hope for the best.

"Hey Pretty Girl" Lucas whispered kissing Brooke behind the ear trying  
to surprise her, Unknowing to him, Brooke had known he was there the  
entire time, and was just waiting for the ass kissing to begin.

"Wow, you're alive"

"Have I told you lately what a wonderful girlfriend you are?"

"Lucas, I'm not mad. God knows I've gone out and done it enough, I  
just" Brooke started but then stopped noticing the confused look on  
Lucas's face. Clearly he hadn't expected Peyton to have called and  
talk to Brooke, or for Brooke to have known anything about it for that  
matter.

"What?"

"Peyton called, she wanted to make sure you got home ok"

"Brooke, I didn't, nothing happened" Lucas started, and then reminded  
himself to kill Peyton later. He should have known she'd have to call  
Brooke and open her mouth about the drinks. All that talk about it  
being ok that they were talking and everything was just a lie in her  
part.

"I know"

"Then what's the look?"

"You spent hours telling me you were ok Luke, then you go out and get  
drunk with Peyton? I'm just tired of having this same conversation"  
Brooke sighed looking down at her sketches to keep from crying. She  
was just so tired of this. So tired of asking him why he couldn't just  
talk to her, so tired of his excuses and lies about how he did. She  
really just wasn't in the mood for it tonight.

"What conversation?"

"The one we've been having since the wedding. Am I that hard to talk to?"

"Brooke I was drunk" Lucas said in his own defense, then realized it  
probably hadn't been the best thing to say. After all Brooke had done  
a lot of things while she was drunk and he'd never let her use them as  
an excuse.

"That's not the point Luke"

"I'm sorry"

"I just don't know what to do to get you to talk to me" Brooke sighed,  
realizing that they were going to end up having this dreaded  
conversation again anyway. There was just no way around it, especially  
now.

"Come here"

"Luke"

"I can't tell you everything Brooke, it's just not that easy for me"  
Lucas said, being completely honest for once. He didn't know what else  
to say to her. Brooke sat there for a minute beside him as he held her  
hand, and closed her eyes to keep from crying.

"But you can Peyton"

"I tell Peyton stuff, because I don't care what she thinks of me. I  
don't care if what I'm saying hurts her feelings or pisses her off or  
if she judges me for it. I don't want to ever hurt you again or make  
you worry, and if that means keeping my issues in then I will. You  
shouldn't have to deal with them. And I promise you, I'm going to get  
better at this. But I will tell you something; this is the most  
important thing I am ever going to tell anyone. And you're the only  
person who will ever hear it from me"

"What?" Brooke finally asked, waiting to hear what he'd come up with now.

I love you"

"Luke, that's not the issue here"

"I'm gonna marry you one day Brooke Davis, and buy you a big house and  
give you everything you ever wanted" Lucas whispered kissing her  
forehead. She wanted to hear how he felt, what was going through his  
mind, and that was it. He wasn't sure exactly what to think about his  
mom loosing the baby, and he wasn't exactly sure how he felt about  
going to college or living in the real world. But he was sure that he  
was in love with Brooke Davis, and at the end of the day that was all  
that really mattered to him.

"Everything I ever wanted?"

"Everything"

"I just want you Luke. All of you" Brooke couldn't understand why he  
didn't get it. She tried to look past the fact that he didn't talk to  
her the way he talked to other people, but she just couldn't. It hurt  
too much.

"You've got it. I'm all yours"

"I need you to talk to me"

"I'm going to work on that. I promise" Lucas promised brushing  
Brooke's hair out of her face as they sat there. He meant what he  
said, if that's what she needed he was really going to try from now  
on. No matter how hard it was.

"But you know, after that if you still wanna buy me that big house you can"

"You're sure?"

"I mean if you really want too, and you can still give me stuff"  
Brooke smiled laying her head on his shoulder. She was trying to hide  
the fact that her whole body was numb. Lucas Scott had just said he  
was going to marry her one day. Even she hadn't gone that far in one  
of their conversations. Marriage was an un-spoken thing in high school  
unless you were Nathan and Haley. Suddenly Brooke didn't feel as bad  
about Lucas not talking to her about everything. He'd said enough in  
this one conversation to keep her feeling ok for a while.

"Only if you promise to give me stuff back"

"I promise" Brooke whispered kissing her boyfriend.

Communication is important in any relationship. Whether it's a  
girlfriend and a boyfriend discussing their feelings, two old friends  
trying to pick up the pieces, or a parent and a child just trying to  
help the other one through the bumpy road of life. Communication is  
important. But sometimes, it's what's its not what's spoken, but  
what's known between two people that's more important than any  
conversation. Something that can't be said with words, only by a look,  
or a gesture. A short sweet kiss to your boyfriend showing that your  
feelings are as real as his, or by just letting two people be  
together, no matter how much it hurts you. Its this kind of  
communication, this kind of knowing that will over ride any worry or  
un-sureness in a relationship.

"Hey, wow you look like shit. What happened?" Whitney asked as Peyton  
stumbled into her room and plopped down on her bed.

"I went and had a few drinks with Lucas"

"Things get sweaty?"

"No, he left to go home and be with Brooke" Peyton sighed. It almost  
burned her to say it.

"You didn't stop him?"

"I told him to go"

"What? Why?" Whitney asked, knowing there had to be a good explanation  
for this one.

"Because right now, no matter what I do or say he's in love with  
Brooke. And if I cant have him as a boyfriend, I at least want him as  
a friend. One day he's going to see what he saw in me once. One day, I  
mean… history always repeats itself"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17! So, I know you guys are probably in as deep of a depression as I am from the show. That's why I waited until AFTER this weeks episode to post this chapter. Hopefully it will help ease the pain of Leyton!! I hope you guys enjoy it!!! Please review!

Lucas Scott stepped back and starred at the U-haul. He'd spent the entire morning packing it full until finally now he wasn't sure if it could hold anything else. Here it was, almost September and the day had finally come to pack up his entire life and move it 2 hours away. He wasn't sure he was ready for this drastic of a move but it wasn't like he had a choice. Classes started in a week and Brooke was getting bigger every day. She'd almost the 7-month mark and was definitely starting to show it. Not so much in her size, but definitely with her swollen feel and restless nights, tossing and turning, whining about how the baby wouldn't sleep. While Haley called her baby the "Precious gift" and Rachel still refused to call hers anything, Brooke had affectionately named her and Lucas's baby "The devil child". Here she hadn't even had it yet and she was already claiming it was rebelling against her. The worst part, was the only thing that stopped the baby from destroying Brooke's insides was when she put the headphones to her belly and played Paris Hilton's "Stars are Blind" over and over and over. Brooke of course claimed the baby had great taste in music and that was a calming factor. But Lucas had his own theory that the song was just so bad, it knocked the baby unconscious. Either way, it helped Brooke sleep so he wasn't going to say anything.

Lucas went inside to find Brooke and Karen at the kitchen table, watery eyes, stuffed up noses and all. Lucas just hoped he'd stayed outside long enough to avoid the sobbing that Nathan had warned him about when him and Haley had moved a week ago.

"I'll come visit all the time and help out with the baby" Karen promised giving Brooke another hug. Brooke cringed as she said it, as much as she loved Karen she was kind of hoping to get away from the whole see her everyday thing.

"And we'll come down here as much as we can"

"Seriously you two, its only two hours away"

"Lucas, aren't you sad?" Karen asked giving Lucas an almost hurt look that he wasn't more upset about the move. And sure, he was nervous about moving and leaving his mom here alone. It'd been 7 weeks since she lost the baby but she still had her bad days where she needed to talk to someone.

"Yes, but we don't have a choice mom"

"There's always Tree Hill Community College"

"Hey, whoa who died?" Peyton interrupted swinging open the kitchen door with Rachel and Whitney.

"Peyton, Rachel, Whitney"

"Are you guys ready?"

"Yea" Brooke said grabbing her purse. No matter how she tried to think about it, this was still sad. Even when she told herself that now she and Lucas could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted and wherever they wanted without Karen catching them or worrying that she would. It was still sad to think that she wouldn't be in the café everyday eating her pie.

"My cars packed"

"Rachel you fit everything in your car?"

"I can buy new stuff" Rachel laughed. Brooke so hated that Rachel still had money. Of course Rachel's parents had no idea that their daughter was pregnant either, but still.

"I like the way you think"

"No you don't"

"Hey, don't pick on me or I'll stay here" Brooke whined giving Lucas a look. He was ruining her fantasy of pretending they actually had money to blow and she didn't like it.

"Can I return all the furniture you paid too much for then?"

"You're mean, I don't know that I want to live with you"

"Yes you do" Lucas smiled, and then kissed his girlfriend. Brooke tried to be dramatic and fight it, but ultimately gave in to the kiss. She'd have to remember to get him back later.

"How do you know?"

"Because you love me"

"Sure, or maybe I'm just using you for the money" Brooke grinned raising her eyebrows at Lucas. He pretended to think about her statement for a minute and then decided to play along.

"The money that we definitely have"

"Good point, you're right it must be love"

"Brooke, ride with us" Rachel yelled from the front of the café. Brooke thought about it for a minute, and after giving Lucas a _should I?_ Look decided that it couldn't be that bad.

"Go, I'll see you when we get there"

Brooke climbed into the backseat of Rachel's car with Peyton so she could stretch out, giving Whitney and Rachel the front. She wasn't exactly sure why she was riding with them other than the fact that she didn't want to hear Karen's whining anymore, it was Lucas's turn. It'd probably be just as bad as when she went with Lucas and Peyton anywhere. She'd be stuck back there listening to them go on and on about music and bands that she really didn't care about.

Surprisingly the first hour of the ride had been pretty peaceful except for Whitney's occasional snide comment. Even Peyton had been behaving herself for the most part. It wasn't until they got close to Raleigh, that things got a little complicated. All it took was Whitney bringing up the unspoken subject with Rachel. Babies. Brooke normally tried to avoid that topic around Rachel, seeing as how no one really knew where Rachel was with that. If she was giving the baby up or keeping it, and no one really had the courage to ask. Including Brooke, but apparently Whitney hadn't gotten the memo.

"So Rachel, have you met any nice couples?" Whitney asked catching everyone off guard, especially Rachel. Brooke sat there in shock looking at Peyton. She wasn't even sure why Whitney was with them. She wasn't moving. She was doing some stupid study abroad program starting in a few weeks.

"Um, a few, but I haven't really made a decision yet"

"Its getting kind of close isn't it? I mean either you're ready or you're not"

"Its not that easy" Rachel said. Brooke could see her tense up at the wheel as she drove. Clearly this wasn't a good subject for her. Brooke just hoped Whitney would lay off. Luckily, Peyton beat her to the punch in usual Peyton fashion

"So, which one of you are naming the baby after me"

"Since they're both boys, I'm guessing neither of us"

"Peyton could work for a boy" Peyton whined sticking her tongue out at Brooke. She hoped this change of subject would give Whitney a clue. She'd gotten too involved in everything, even in Peyton's opinion. There were just some lines you didn't cross.

"Sorry, not happening"

"That's right, because last I checked Lucas wanted to name your baby something like Joshua or John right?"

"Yes, until we made our little deal" Brooke giggled feeling pretty pleased with herself as she thought about it.

"Your little deal?"

"I convinced Lucas that since he wants a girl so bad, and since I want a boy so bad. We'd make a deal. If it's a girl he can name her, but if it's a boy, I name him"

"But Brooke you already know it's a boy" Rachel laughed picking up on the point of Brooke's plan. She had to admit it was pretty good, and wasn't all that shocked that Brooke had come up with it.

"Yes, but he doesn't know I know"

"You are terrible, and yet genius at the same time"

"Isn't that kind of wrong?" Whitney asked. Brooke wanted to strangle her. With her luck Whitney would probably go off and tell Lucas the entire plan and ruin everything. Then she'd end up with some baby named Somerset or something.

"Sure, but after Nathan stuck Haley with Evan, I had to do it"

"So what's the name Brooke. We all know you already have it picked out"

"Cruiser" Brooke smiled. Of course she'd already picked it out. It had taken her a good 7 months to do but she'd finally found it in one of Lucas's stupid books she was reading out of sheer boredom.

"Wow"

"That's, interesting?" Peyton asked not really sure what to say. One thing she was sure of was that Lucas definitely wasn't going to go for it.

"Its better than John or Robert or god, knowing Lucas something like Ernest"

"You're such a nice girlfriend"

"I know" Brooke giggled raising her eyebrows at Peyton. She had to admit, this was kind of fun. Talking to Peyton like this.

"What about you Rachel?"

"Um, I really like Matthew, or maybe like Michael?"

"Not Cooper?" Whitney asked, again catching everyone in the car off guard.

"Whitney"

"I was just wondering. Same with you Brooke, why not Lucas?"

"Because Lucas made it very clear there is to be no Lucas Eugene Scott Jr" Brooke sighed. The sad thing was she might have actually gone for it too if he'd agreed. She liked the name Lucas.

"So the baby will have the last name Scott?"

"Why wouldn't it? Contrary to popular rumor, it is Lucas's baby"

"I didn't know since you two aren't married" Whitney said, her tone was quieter this time as she looked back at Peyton. Brooke wasn't totally sure what the look was about but she guessed it was one sided, since Peyton didn't really seem too interested by it.

"Dan and Karen weren't married and Lucas is still Scott"

"But Lucas did want to change it to Roe that time"

"Well that's because Dan's an ass. Lucas isn't" Brooke said hoping to end the subject at that. She didn't understand why this was so hard for Whitney and even Peyton to comprehend. She hadn't once thought that the baby's last name would be Davis.

"So when do you think he's going to pop the question?"

"What?"

"I mean if he's going to marry you then shouldn't he do it soon? Why wait? I mean you're already having his kid" Whitney laughed. Brooke wasn't sure if she was trying to be funny. Or just a smart ass. The only one who seemed amused by the comment was Peyton. And she quickly stopped laughing once she saw the look on Brooke's face.

"Because he's a hopeless romantic, even I know that" Peyton added deciding to help Brooke out a little. Whitney was, as usual going too far with this.

"Or he's just waiting to see if things work out, you know to see if you're the one"

"If our one and _only_ date meant anything, she is the one. If I heard it once I heard it 30 times. _Brooke Davis is the girl for me, whine whine whine, brood brood brood, my heart says so, whine, brood_. It was actually pretty pathetic"

"Yes, but weren't you sleeping with Chris Keller while this happened?" Whitney asked, turning from Rachel to Brooke.

"So was he good?" Peyton asked, again trying to change the subject for Brooke's face. This conversation wasn't fair to anyone. Not even Brooke.

"What?"

"In bed, come on. I mean we all kind of want to know"

"I honestly don't remember. I'm not sure I would have even remembered we were together if it weren't for" Brooke started but was interrupted by Whitney.

"What?"

"Lucas"

"I wonder if that still sticks in the back of his mind" Whitney sighed. Brooke wasn't sure why she was giving her the pleasure of knowing any of this. But she decided to just get it over with before any other awkward subjects came up.

"Of course it does"

"How do you know, I mean does he mention it?"

"No, not unless he's really upset. But I mean I know it has too. Him and Peyton still stick in the back of my mind. I hurt him just as bad as he hurt me. And as terrible as it sounds, that's how I know he'd never cheat on me again. And why I'd never cheat on him. We both know what it feels like to have a broken heart" Brooke said hoping that had gotten her point across. She was seriously about 3 seconds from bringing up the subject of one of Rachel and Peyton's stupid bands.

"So basically you're saying you're together because it's safe"

"What?"

"Its ok Brooke, ignore her. Of course you're safe with Lucas. You're the one with his baby and you're the one who's going to get the ring on your finger one day and you're the one he loves" Rachel finally said deciding to be the conversation ender and maybe give Brooke some piece of mind.

"She doesn't have the ring yet, besides it's a new time. Its not like he has to marry her or anything"

"Why do we even bring her with us?"

"I'm just saying. You're so sure of yourself and your relationship with him. You should be careful. I mean, you have all this trust in him. But haven't you ever heard the saying history always repeats itself?" Whitney asked turning back to face Peyton. After all she was basically quoting what Peyton had said to her the other night. She could sit back there all she wanted too and pretend she was Brooke's friend again, pretend that she actually gave a damn about her and Lucas. But Whitney knew the truth.

Lucas drove with his mom towards Chapel Hill. As much as he wished Brooke was riding with them, it was kind of nice that it was just him and his mom. When he was a kid his mom had brought him up to Chapel Hill more times than he could remember for basketball games or the occasional football game. Sometimes just to walk around the college. He was really going to miss having his mom around.

"Excited?" Karen asked interrupting her son's thoughts. She didn't want him thinking too hard right now. She knew it was a scary time for him and if he thought about it too hard them he was going to worry himself sick.

"More like nervous"

"About living with Brooke?"

"No, I mean I've been doing that for a year. This is just so" Lucas started but he couldn't think of the right word.

"Permanent?"

"Is it bad that's all that comes to mind?"

"Well you've got a lot on your plate right now Lucas. College, a job, a girlfriend, a baby on the way. Most kids your age just have to worry about college and where to find beer. But these are the choices you've made. Are you starting to regret them?" Karen asked, worried that all of this was starting to get to be too much on Lucas. He tried to take on so much without any help.

"No, I mean I love Brooke. I love everything about her, and I'm excited about the baby and school. It's just a lot at once. Last year at this time Brooke was in California and I was just praying that she came home and we could be together. I just wish we'd gotten to do the normal couple stuff first"

"Wishing isn't going to change anything. It's going to be a lot harder this way, but in the end it'll pay off. All I ever wanted for you was to be happy, and I see it when you look at her, that you are. Do you think I'd be this calm about all of this if I didn't?"

"No" Lucas sighed. But he had to admit; his mom was being really calm about this. Other than they occasional tear about him leaving her she'd been completely agreeable about almost everything.

"Exactly, so just take it one day at a time. I'm proud of you, and you'll be ok. So will Brooke. But I am going to miss you"

"I'll miss you too. Tell me you're going to do something fun with me gone now"

"Deb and I already have our Vegas trip planned" Karen laughed, comforting Lucas a little. He hated that he was leaving her like this. It hadn't even been 2 months since she lost the baby and now she was going to be alone in that house.

"Vegas huh?"

"Then I don't know, I figure I'll come help out with the baby for a little while, until Brooke gets the hang of things"

"She's scared to death" Lucas sighed stating what Karen already knew. She knew they were both scared, but some how or another between the two of them they'd get through.

"It's a scary thing, I mean she's going to be at home alone with a baby while you're at school. After I had you, you slept with me every night until you were 5 so I could make sure you were still breathing"

"Seriously?"

"Yep. We're all facing new things Luke. You and Brooke have your whole life ahead of you. The next 18 years is going to be all new for you and scary as hell. But you know what's just as scary?" Karen asked, almost laughing at what she was about to say next.

"What?"

"I'll be 37 and I've never lived alone. I went right from my parent's house to having you there with me. So it's going to be good for me too. I can do some stuff that I never got to do"

"Wow" Lucas had never really thought about it like that. And as excited as his mom sounded about getting to do new things. Lucas hoped he'd never have to live alone like that, especially at 37. That he'd at least always have Brooke there with him.

"What's even scarier than that is I'll be a grandparent before I'm 40. Don't raise this baby in Tree Hill"

"Brooke says we're hanging a sign above the crib that says, "Sex is bad""

"It wouldn't be a bad idea, looks like the girls beat us here" Karen said as they pulled into the apartment complex. Brooke was already waiting in the parking lot with a cheeseburger in her hand for Lucas.

"Nathan and Haley too"

"Hi Boyfriend" Brooke smiled, handing Lucas his food and giving him a quick kiss. She was so glad he was there now. Whitney wouldn't dare say anything with him around.

"Hey, you're still alive"

"Shocking I know"

"So what do you think?" Lucas asked looking at the apartments. They weren't bad. Just your normal 2 bedroom apartments with no view and probably some kind of creepy neighbors.

"I think we should send everyone home and do our thing"

"Brooke Davis"

"What?" Brooke giggled kissing him, making sure Whitney got a nice view of what a "safe" kiss was. Tongue and all.

"Ew, can you guys please wait until we're gone"

"Why? You know you wanna watch"

"Lets just get this stuff un-packed, what first?" Haley asked. She'd come over with Nathan so that Lucas would have someone to help him do the heavy lifting.

"The bed"

"Ok then"

"So how was the trip?" Lucas asked, holding Brooke's hand as they walked up the stairs to their apartment, leaving everyone else down in the parking lot.

"Remind me to ride with you from now on"

"That bad?"

"That bad" Brooke sighed leaning into his chest. But she didn't really want to talk about it, at least not with everyone here.

The rest of the day was spent moving and lugging things from the truck up the stairs. Since Brooke, Haley and Rachel were really not supposed to be lifting anything really heavy they set their sights on organizing whatever everyone else brought up. This of course only lasted until Haley fell asleep on the floor and Rachel found the chocolate chip cookies, which left Brooke bored and ignored. That was until she decided it was much more fun to watch Lucas move furniture in a wife beater.

By the time the sun went down, Rachel and Peyton had left to go back to Raleigh, Karen had left (in tears of course) to go back to Tree Hill, and Haley and Nathan had gone home to eat dinner, leaving Brooke and Lucas in their apartment alone. It definitely wasn't the thrill Brooke had imagined. Sure if was fun going through boxes, and finding the little sentimental things Brooke had packed like their first blue post coaster, and their photo booth pictures. But it really wasn't anything different than what they did when they were living with Karen.

"I can't believe we have this much stuff left to unpack" Brooke sighed. She had no idea where to put half this stuff Karen had thrown in boxes for them. Seriously when were they ever going to need an ironing board? Brooke didn't iron.

"Lets take a break"

"Try out the couch?"

"You and your couch fetish" Lucas laughed lying back on the couch. He had to admit, it was pretty comfortable, probably because she'd spent a small fortune on it.

"I thought you liked my couches"

"I do"

"So" Brooke sighed laying back in Lucas's lap. She found it kind of sad that they couldn't even come up with an interesting conversation, or even something to fight about their first night in their new apartment.

"Is this supposed to feel different?"

"The couch?"

"I mean, us here" Lucas said, hoping Brooke was thinking the same thing he was.

"At least its not weird, its just kind of"

"The same as before?"

"Oh my god we've lost the spark" Brooke sighed shaking her head. This couldn't be possible. She and Lucas had more spark then any couple in Tree Hill. All they had to do was look at each other a certain way and it was like fireworks.

"We haven't lost the spark, we just have a ton of boxes to unpack, and bills to pay and classes to get ready for and not to mention a baby to plan for" Lucas said putting his hands on Brooke's stomach. As usual, it didn't take long for him to feel the baby kick and Brooke to whine.

"I miss the meaningless random sex"

"We can still have the meaningless random sex, without the fear of my mom walking in"

"Stupid Whitney" Brooke whined deciding that this was definitely all Whitney's fault. If she hadn't said anything then this wouldn't be bothering Brooke so much.

"We're talking about sex and you bring up Whitney? That worries me a little"

"No, its just on the way here she said the only reason we were still together was because it was safe"

"It is safe" Lucas said agreeing with Whitney to a certain extent. Of course that wasn't the reason he and Brooke were together. But it was a big part of the reason that they worked so well as a couple.

"Lucas!"

"What would be the point if being together if we weren't safe? I mean that's what the point of a relationship is right? I make you feel safe, you make me feel safe. If I didn't feel safe with you then we definitely wouldn't be having a baby together"

"I'm sorry" Brooke sighed, one day she was going to learn to not listen to Whitney and Peyton's screwed up logic.

"For what?"

"I'm so needy"

"I knew this when I started dating you" Lucas laughed. They both knew it was true. Brooke Davis was needy when it came to a lot of things, but then so was he. Another reason they worked so well together. Neither liked to be alone.

"I just don't want things to get boring and start to suck because we're safe"

"Brooke, we're having a baby in 2 months. I seriously doubt things are going to get boring"

"And start to suck" Brooke said, realizing Lucas hadn't added that into his comfort speech.

"No, they may start to suck"

"Lucas"

"But in 10 years we'll look back and laugh" Lucas said kissing Brooke's forehead.

"But what about right now?"

"Right now, we're going to lay here on our couch, in our apartment, and I'm gonna kiss you"

"Why?" Brooke giggled turning to face him. She actually liked this kissing plan of Lucas's.

"Because I love you, and its fun… and I'd say sex but I think I'm way too exhausted to take my clothes off"

"That's what I'm here for"


	18. Chapter 18

Hehe... I love this chapter. Its so much fun! I hope you guys enjoy it! We ALL need it after what we've been through lately on the show!! Please Review!

"Morning pretty girl, what is that smell?" Lucas asked walking into the kitchen to find Brooke standing over the stove. He'd gotten out of the shower, to find the smell of something burning, or at least that's what he'd thought it had been.

"Hi boyfriend! I made eggs"

"Those are eggs?"

"Uh huh" Brooke said, proudly looking down at her almost black scrambled eggs. So they didn't really look or smell like eggs. She guessed they probably didn't taste like them either. But she'd really tried to make breakfast for Lucas.

"You made me eggs" Lucas smiled trying to look as happy and surprised as possible without laughing. Those definitely had to be the worst eggs he'd ever seen in his life, and he was dreading the fact that he was going to have to choke them down so that Brooke would think she'd done good.

"I tried"

"No, they, look good"

"You don't have to lie. I burnt eggs. How the hell do you burn eggs?" Brooke asked sitting the plate down on the counter. She'd only left them there to cook for like 10 minutes.

"I really don't know babe"

"I cant even vacuum"

"Why were you trying to vacuum?" Lucas laughed shaking his head at his girlfriend. She was so helpless when it came to anything that involved homemaking. But unlike most guys, Lucas thought it was cute. The fact that Brooke couldn't cook or clean or anything like that for that matter was part of what made Brooke Brooke.

"I don't know, something productive? You're working, and going to class, and coming home and having to listen to me. Meanwhile I can't even make you eggs"

"You're having a baby in 6 weeks. That's enough. And I don't even really like eggs"

"Really?" Brooke asked, knowing he was lying. Karen had made him eggs a million times. But she appreciated the fact that he was lying to make her feel better.

"No"

"But I am having a baby in 6 weeks, and Lucas we have nothing"

"Well then there you go" Lucas said giving Brooke the perfect idea of what she could so with herself while he was at class.

"Oh my god you're right! I'll just decorate while you're gone"

"See?"

"But you can't look until its finished" Brooke added realizing this could really work to her advantage. She'd be able to totally fix up the room and make it perfect for their baby boy, without Lucas ever finding out.

"Wait what?"

"Nope, ah! This is going to be fabulous!"

"I've gotta go, I'm gonna be late. Have fun" Lucas said giving Brooke a quick kiss. He really did hate leaving her there all by herself all day when she really didn't know anyone here, but he'd been late for class twice already.

"K"

"And don't spend all the money"

"Me? Never"

Brooke waited until she was sure Lucas was gone and went into the closet of what would be the baby's room. That conversation couldn't have gone any better if she'd planned it. Now she got to decorate the baby's room and paint it blue and all that good stuff, without Lucas knowing until the baby was actually born. Little did Lucas know, Brooke had already bought a lot of stuff that they needed while Lucas had been at class the past 2 weeks. Minus the blue walls, and the big stuff like the crib and changing table that Mouth had promised to help her move. She had basically everything. Now she was finally free to set everything up without Lucas looking.

Just as Brooke had pulled everything out of the closet, the doorbell rang. She already knew it was Mouth since he'd promised to help her get the crib today. Brooke had the whole bedroom planned out perfectly, right down to the Carolina blue basketball bedding for the crib. It wasn't stuff she was sure she'd really ever have thought to choose, but she knew Lucas would love it.

"Hey Mighty Mouth" Brooke said opening the door for him as he carried in the changing table. Setting up the room was almost as exciting as clothes shopping. Especially now that she could do it without worrying about Lucas.

"Hey, is Lucas still here?"

"Nope he left about 10 minutes ago"

"What's that terrible smell?" Mouth asked as he walked through the den to the baby's room.

"I tried to cook for him ok?"

"He's got you cooking for him now?"

"No, sadly if he had it his way I'd do nothing all day, aw and you brought the crib" Brooke said seeing it propped outside the apartment door. Setting it up was going to be the hard part. But hey, that's what Mouth was here for.

"How much did this thing cost?"

"Um, not that much"

"Brooke?" Mouth laughed as Brooke tried to avoid the subject. She wasn't going to tell him how much she spent on it. And she definitely wasn't telling Lucas.

"I made a few extra dresses to pay for the baby's room"

"A few?"

"Ok like 10 extra dresses that Lucas doesn't know about. The room has to be perfect" Brooke said giving Mouth a "please don't ask anymore questions" look. It wasn't like she was spending any of the money she and Lucas had saved. This was all her money she'd been saving by herself for months. So she didn't see anything wrong with buying a really nice crib.

"What is that? Miss, I think something's burning in your apartment" A lady said, interrupting Brooke and Mouth trying to push the box into the apartment. Brooke guessed the lady was one of her neighbors, although she looked kind of old to live in an apartment building full of college students.

"No, it was burning. Now its in the trash"

"You must be the new couple here?"

"No, I mean I am but this is just my friend Mouth. My boyfriend's at class" Brooke said, trying to make it as un-confusing as possible for the woman.

"Boyfriend. You're not married?"

"Not yet"

"Oh. Well then. I'm Heather, and this is my son Logan" The woman almost sneered. Brooke hadn't even seen the little boy standing behind the woman. He couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 clinging to his mother's leg.

"Hi"

"I'm Brooke"

"When are you due?" Heather asked reaching out to touch Brooke's stomach. Luckily Brooke had just enough time to wedge herself between the box and the door so that the woman couldn't reach. She hated it when random people wanted to touch her stomach.

"November"

"Will you be married by then?"

"Not if I can help it, got the crib mouth?" Brooke asked, definitely ready to get out of this awkward conversation. She'd learned the hard way that when people made comments like that, walking away was so much easier than trying to argue her and Lucas's long dramatic love story that they were living.

"Yea"

"People here are so stupid. So what if I'm 18 and pregnant and not married"

"That does sound pretty bad" Mouth laughed, but Brooke really didn't find it funny. She realized it sounded pretty bad but what was she supposed to do about it? It wasn't like she could undo all of it, and even if she could she wasn't even sure she'd want too anymore.

"But I will be married one day, and I will get older and I wont be pregnant forever"

"It just makes you look irresponsible"

"Well I was. Lucas and I both were and now we're paying for it" Brooke sighed, not believing what Mouth was saying. She'd really thought he'd gotten past all of this. Sure, she knew he wasn't ok with it. Really no one was just ok with Brooke and Lucas having a baby. But she thought that he was at least accepting it now.

"No you're not. Admit it Brooke, you're playing house. Things aren't hard for you, look at Rachel. Look at what she has to deal with. The ridicule, the judging"

"Last time I checked you weren't exactly helping with that Mouth"

"I'm just saying. I mean you aren't even going back to school until you have the baby just because you don't want people to know or judge you for it. Isn't that kind of hypocritical?" Mouth asked. Brooke could feel her face start to turn pink. What the hell was his problem today? He hadn't even mentioned anything about this for months now, and all the sudden she was this bad person again?

"I thought you were over this Mouth"

"I thought I was too"

Meanwhile Lucas sat in history class basically staring at the clock on his cell phone. He hadn't really expected college to be as boring as high school. At least in high school he had his own friends in each of his classes. But here, other than a few girls hinting around to find out if he was single, he didn't really know anyone. It was a weird feeling not knowing anyone. Lucas had never had to make friends before. They'd just kind of be-friended him. Haley for example, had come up to Lucas in kindergarten and told him he was going to be her friend, and they were going to get married one day. Lucas, being all of 5 accepted in invitation and they'd been friends ever since. Then when Mouth had transferred in the 5th grade and been placed right next to Lucas. It was Mouth who had asked Lucas if he wanted to hang out sometime. Then there was Brooke. Lucas definitely hadn't been the one to initiate things there. Brooke had pretty much decided she was going to sleep with him. End of story. And all of his other friends, he'd usually met through friends or family. But here he didn't know anyone to even do that with.

"Now the first thing we are going to do this year, I know its going to seem a little 2nd gradeish, but we're going to learn the history of each other. I'm going to put you I n groups of 3, and together you are going to tell each other your histories. Not every little detail, but big events that have happened through out your life. Then each of you are going take notes on your group members history and tell me about your group members next week. This is going to get you familiar with how I like my presentations done and my notes taken in this class. Now, my first group. We'll use my last row here. Mr. Scott, Ms. Baker, and Ms. Draw"

"I'm Alyssa" The girl on Lucas's right said sliding her desk closer to the group. She had sandy blonde hair up in a ponytail and no make up on but was attractive in her own way. The freckles on her face made up for the lack of make up even though the jeans she was wearing definitely weren't Brooke's $250 True Religion brand jeans; they fit the girl's style. Then there was the girl to the left of Lucas. Her hair was darker, and cut a little below her chin. She almost had on too much make up in Lucas's opinion and was wearing dress pants and some kind of button up shirt. Both the girls looked nice enough, but Lucas had really hoped he'd have at least one guy in his group.

"Katie"

"Lucas"

"So who wants to go first?" Alyssa asked opening up her blue spiral notebook and pulling out a pencil.

"We should let Lucas go since he's the only guy"

"No, ladies first"

"Oh a gentlemen" Katie laughed. Truthfully Lucas just didn't want to go first. He had a pretty twisted history and wasn't sure how much they actually needed to share.

""Or a typical guy who doesn't want to talk about his rebellious high school years. I'll go first. I'm Alyssa Marie Draw. Also known as Lis, Lissy, Aly and Draw. I'm from Kinston, NC. My parents separated when I was 4, my mom died a year later in a car accident so my dad raised me to be a tomboy. Church and religion are very important to me. I'm here on an academic scholar ship and I want to work in politics when I finish up here. I had the same boyfriend all 4 years of high school but we broke up last week. I love sports, especially basketball and soccer and my favorite color is blue"

"Nice one. I'm Katherine Anne Baker, but people just call me Kate or Katie. I'm from West Virginia. My parents have been married for 30 years. I love children and want to be a teacher when I get out of here. I've had a few boyfriends but none really stuck. I'm not big on sports but I do love to skate. And my favorite color is orange" Katie finished as Lucas and Alyssa jotted down notes. Lucas wasn't exactly sure how this had anything to do with history but he had to admit, it was better than sitting there reading a text book all day.

"Ok, Lucas?"

"I'm Lucas Scott"

"Middle name?" Alyssa asked. Lucas had really hoped to get away without mentioning that little detail.

"Eugene"

"Lucas Eugene Scott, nice one"

"Everyone pretty much calls me Lucas, expect occasionally my mom and Brooke call me Luke" Lucas started again, but was interrupted.

"Brooke?"

"My girlfriend. Um, I'm from Tree Hill. My mom had me right out high school, my dads an ass. I have no idea what I want to do when I get out of this place except maybe write. My girlfriend Brooke's starting here in the spring. Um"

"Ok that's all the time we have for now, I suggest you groups get together and finish this up before Monday" The professor said, causing Lucas to get cut off for the 3rd time.

"I'm going home this weekend"

"Guess we'll have to finish up. I have class tonight. Is right now ok?"

"Sure, where?" Katie asked, both girls ignoring Lucas in typical girl fashion.

"Whoever's is bigger. I'm in a dorm"

"Me too, Lucas?"

"My place I guess?" Lucas asked guessing he didn't have much of a choice. Brooke probably wasn't going to be thrilled with him bringing two girls home, but it was for school and he had to get this done. Luckily, neither of them were really what Brooke worried about anyway.

Brooke grew bored of setting up and decorating alone pretty fast after Mouth left, so she decided to sit down and sketch some for her line. The guilt of spending so much on the babies room had set in and she really wanted to make sure she had that extra money in case of emergencies. Not to mention she was going to get to wear normal clothes soon which would definitely call for a shopping spree. And if she had anything to do with it, that shopping spree was starting in about 20 minutes when she and Haley went shopping.

"My boyfriend" Brooke squealed meeting him half way between the couch and the front door to kiss him.

"Hey babe"

"And girls I don't know"

"I tried your cell. We've got to finish up a project for history" Lucas said giving Brooke his best 'I'm so sorry' look. Luckily Brooke wasn't like Haley, and didn't spaz when he brought people over without asking first, even if he had tried to call.

"Well in that case have fun, and I'm just glad they're here to help you and I don't have too"

"Oh, Brooke, this is Katie and Alyssa"

"Hi" Brooke smiled scanning each of the girls over. Neither were fake blondes and neither had curly hair, which was a good sign. The Alyssa girl was tall, but definitely not Lucas's type. Brooke was pretty sure she was wearing $10 jeans and had a ponytail. And the Katie chick actually reminded her a lot of when she'd first met Haley. Luckily for Brooke, Lucas always went for the prissy high maintenance girls.

"Oh my god congratulations! I love kids"

"Thanks"

"Wow, sorry I just wasn't expecting that one" Alyssa said, clearly from the look on her face, she hadn't noticed that Brooke was pregnant until Katie had said something.

"Its ok, people usually aren't. Unless you know us and then we get the whole 'We expected it to happen sooner' speech and ok, well I'm going to go shopping with Haley. You guys have fun"

"Bye" Brooke smiled grabbing her purse and giving Lucas a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving them. She'd rather shop than hang out with Lucas's creepy college friends any day.

"She's a piece of work" Alyssa laughed as soon as Brooke shut the door to leave. Lucas got the impression that neither of his group members had expected him to be with someone like Brooke. Not that anyone ever did. When he introduced people to Brooke, they always expected to meet someone like Haley.

"Wow, your place is amazing"

"Thanks, Brooke designed it. That's her thing"

"That's so cute. You guys are like kissing in very picture you have framed" Katie gushed eyeing the pictures of Brooke and Lucas placed around the apartment. Alyssa on the other hand didn't seem as amused as she looked at the picture of Brooke and Lucas after a basketball game.

"Typical, the cheerleader and the basketball player. I didn't see you as the basketball type"

"It's a long story, and I'm not anymore"

"Well long stories are what we're here for. History remember?"

Brooke strolled through the mall with Haley, a little nervous Haley was going to pop any second. It seemed like every time that Brooke saw her she looked more and more miserable, and more and more like she was going to pop. Although she had to admit, watching Haley waddle like a duck was kind of amusing.

"I thought Lucas was coming" Haley said as they walked through Forever 21 so Brooke could whine over all the stuff she wanted that didn't fit. It was so depressing to come shopping these days.

"No, he's working on some history project with Alyssa and Katie"

"Oh, girls"

"Its not a big deal" Brooke added making it clear that she wasn't freaking out about this. She had guy friends, so it was only fair that Lucas got to have chick friends too.

"So no freak out? Or ranting?"

"Nope, I've decided after the freak out Mouth had this morning I'm not going to do it anymore"

"Again?" Haley sighed, kind of surprised Mouth had given Brooke another hard time. Everyone including her had thought that maybe Mouth had moved passed this by now.

"He spazzed. I mean I don't know what he wants me to do"

"He's in love with you"

"I know, but I'm not in love with him" Brooke sighed feeling guilty. But it wasn't like she could help it, I mean she just didn't feel that way about Mouth that she did Lucas.

"And that's ok"

"Then why do I feel like the bad guy in this? He acts like I purposely went out and got pregnant to hurt him. Plus he was the one who was all like 'You and Lucas belong together, it'll work out, blah blah blah' why did he even bother?"

"Maybe he was trying?" Haley asked, but she saw Brooke's point. Haley just hoped that Mouth would find someone who loved him back one day.

"Trying or not, I cant take may more of his spazz outs. He makes me feel like this terrible person now. And then I tell Lucas and he gets caught in the middle because Mouth's his friend. Ugh, wasn't all of this supposed to end in high school"

"I guess not when you keep the same friends"

"I'm just ready to have this kid and get my life back to normal" Brooke whined. She really did miss her old life. Well at least her figure. And her baby that wasn't big enough to kick her all night, and a lot of other stuff she wasn't even going to begin to start with.

"You realize what you said just made no sense right?"

"Sadly yes, but I do miss regular clothes, and sleeping through the night without something kicking me constantly, and hot tubs"

"I'm sure you miss the hot tubs"

After an hour and ½ of telling the girls his history, Lucas finally decided enough was enough and it was their turn. He'd basically told them everything about from the day he was born, to meeting Brooke, to what happened yesterday and everything in-between. Before he knew it, it was almost 6:00 and he still knew nothing about them.

"I think it's amazing how after all of this you and Brooke worked things out and are getting such a blessing" Katie smiled, almost in tears from Lucas's life story.

"I think it's amazing how you slept with her again after she lied to you about being pregnant. Its just sex. I dated the same guy all through high school and we never had sex."

"Poor guy"

"Well he isn't having a kid at 18 now is he" Alyssa asked not playing his game. She hated guys like Lucas. Typical guys. Guys who had one thing and one thing only on their mind. She was pretty surprised Lucas had actually stuck around after he got Brooke pregnant. If anything she felt sorry for Brooke.

"Ouch, ok I think we're done. Brooke should be home soon anyway"

"We'll have to do this again. Alyssa and I need to tell you more about us"

"Monday morning?" Alyssa asked figuring that was the only chance they were going to have with everyone's schedules.

"Sure"

"See you then"

By the time Brooke got home, Lucas was asleep on the couch with a statistic book lying open on his stomach. He looked so cute lying there with his hand over his eyes she almost didn't want to wake him up. Almost, but as usual curiosity got the best of her and she wanted to hear about his day and his two new friends. So being Brooke Davis, she went back to the front door, opened it, and then shut it hard so it looked like she'd just come home.

"Oops did I wake you up?" Brooke asked innocently as she lay down on the couch beside Lucas.

"No, I wasn't sleeping. Just studying"

"Ew, math?"

"Math" Lucas sighed closing his statistics book for now. He didn't have that class again until Tuesday anyway.

"So, how was your day?"

"You mean how did it go with Alyssa and Katie"

"Was that their names?" Brooke asked pretending to have forgotten.

"Katie's nice. I think she and Haley would get along, she's a little too 'everything's a blessing' for your taste though"

"Right… and Alyssa?"

"Yea, I'm pretty sure she hates me" Lucas half laughed. But it was the truth. He wasn't sure he'd ever had someone that forward and blunt about his life to his face.

"Well that's always fun. Maybe she and Mouth could meet"

"What happened?"

"I think he's on Peyton's crack or something" Brooke sighed shaking her head. She hadn't thought about that theory yet. But it was very possible with all the time Mouth and Peyton spent together lately.

"Brooke"

"Well I wouldn't put it past him. They probably became crack buddies while we weren't looking"

"Brooke" Lucas laughed trying to stop her from getting to out there with her theories.

"Well they both have the same problem"

"That problem being?"

"Us" Brooke said plain and simple. For once Lucas agreed. They were exactly Peyton and Mouth's problems.

"Right"

"I really miss them both. I mean before we got back together they were the ones who kept telling me we'd make it and not to worry"

"I know, me too" Lucas sighed. He was with Brooke on this one, he just didn't know what to do. He barely even ever talked to Mouth anymore just because it was almost awkward too, and then with Peyton he was suspicious of everything she said.

"Then why cant they just accept the fact that it's _their_ fault _we're_ in love"

"I wouldn't go that far, but I think deep down we're not really the ones they want anyway. They know we're unattainable and so they go after us. But it'll always be Jake for Peyton, whether she admits it or not"

"And Mouth?" Brooke asked, hoping Lucas didn't say Rachel. Rachel and Mouth grossed her out to no end. She'd always personally been kind of a Rachel and Cooper fan.

"He just hasn't found her yet"

"He must be so sexually frustrated"

"Brooke" Lucas burst out laughing. She still completely shocked him with some of the stuff she came out with sometimes.

"Well he must!"

"Way to kill my speech"

"Aw, but that's what I do and you love it" Brooke giggled and kissed him.

"I do"

"And to think, without me you'd be the same way"

"Or I'd just call my other girlfriends over" Lucas said raising his eyebrows at Brooke. She wasn't buying it, the only other girlfriend he'd ever get would be Haley, or maybe god forbid Peyton.

"Oh but see you wouldn't have any other girlfriends because you'd still be a virgin"

"There's Haley"

"Good point, aw you'd be daddy to little Samson or Evan or whatever the kids name is this week" Brooke giggled, trying to picture what a Naley child would look like named Samson.

"Sounds like a dog, poor kid"

"Its better than Nora"

"Or Tula" Lucas added, that in his opinion being one of Brooke's worst choices for a baby name.

And there they were, playing the same game they played every night. Just the two of them. Brooke lay there, pretending to listen to Lucas's terrible ideas of names, when really all she could think about were Mouth and Peyton and the people like them. Sure, she sometimes missed her old life. The parties and the drinking games and the freedom to do whatever she pleased. But none of that kept her feeling safe at night, not like Lucas did. None of that kissed her good night and meant it or told her stupid jokes to make her laugh when she was upset. She couldn't remember what she used to do for comfort, well other than drink. It was almost scary to think how much her life had changed in the past year, some for the better, some not so much. But any of it was better than being alone.

"Hey Mouth, what are you doing here?" Peyton asked opening her dorm room door to see Mouth standing outside of it. He didn't look good, Peyton guessed he'd been drinking by his blood shot eyes and the smell of his breath.

"I went to a bar with Brooke's fake ID she made me"

"I see that"

"Peyton, I" Mouth started but stopped. Standing there, in the dark, as much as he'd had to drink. He could have sworn it was Brooke standing there in front of him. So he reached in and did the only thing he could think to do. He kissed her.

Peyton was caught completely off guard for a second and pulled a way. I mean, it was Mouth, and ok so in the dark with his spiky blonde hair he kind of maybe resembled Lucas if she squinted really hard. It had helped that she'd had a little to drink that night too. But no, what was she thinking? This wasn't what she wanted. She wanted Lucas. They both stood there for a few seconds in silence. Peyton thought to herself. She could always pretend it was Lucas. She knew Mouth had the same idea. What would one night hurt?


	19. Author's Note :

Quick Authors note!

Hey guys! I am SOO sorry its been so long since I updated. The truth is, I haven't even been home to get on my desktop and upload a chapter! Haha so no worries, I haven't "Given up". Christmas and work has just gotten in the way and made things a little difficult! Right now its 5AM and I'm getting ready for another long day… but when I get home I will check and see if maybe I was smart and e-mailed myself Chapter 19! Lets hope! Hope you all have a wonderful holiday and thanks as always for the reviews! I'll get the new chapter up asap. Keep the Brucas faith! 


	20. Chapter 19

Hey guys! Thanks sooo much for being so patient! Here's chapter 19! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas/Hanukah or whatever you celebrate!!! Please review!

"I want to die" Brooke whined leaning back in her patio chair. This had to be the most miserable she'd ever been. She was pretty sure everything on her was swollen, and everything hurt,

"My feet are so swollen"

"Why did we ever have sex?"

"I think I'm seriously going to pop" Rachel sighed continuing her and Brooke's line of complaints, meanwhile Haley just sat there laughing at the two. The way she saw it they shouldn't be complaining. Brooke was barely 31 weeks, and Rachel was only 32. Meanwhile she was pushing 36 and she didn't feel _that_ bad, other than the occasional back ache.

"I can't believe you guys aren't enjoying your last weeks of being pregnant!"

"You're kidding right? I want this thing out, NOW"

"I can't wait to hold my baby" Haley smiled ignoring Brooke's insensitive comment. She had a feeling that Brooke would change her mind.

"Really? Because I'm kind of looking forward to beating mine"

"I'm with you Brooke" Rachel sighed checking her cell phone to see what time it was.

"You guys are terrible"

"No, just truthful"

"I don't think I can take another month of this" Brooke whined burying her face in her hands. She was pretty sure this had been her most dramatic whine yet.

"Hey babe, Haley, Rachel. We're out of here" Lucas said, coming out on the balcony to give Brooke a quick kiss goodbye. He felt bad leaving the girls like that, but he had his phone with him. Plus he knew if he stayed he was just going to drive Brooke as crazy as he was driving her.

"Lucas can you do me a favor before you go?"

"Anything"

"I think its time we do that thing we talked about" Brooke begged. Lucas just laughed at her which made her even more irritated. She didn't find any of this funny. Not in the least little but.

"Brooke, I'm not taking you out back and shooting you"

"Please, I'm begging you. Damn it, this is all your fault in the first place"

"Brooke, enjoy it while it lasts" Haley laughed. Brooke could have slapped them all except for maybe Rachel, who seemed to be just as miserable as she was.

"I swear to god Lucas Scott you are getting fixed as soon as I have this kid"

"So I think that's our cue to go Nate"

"Yea, I think so" Nathan agreed. He'd been smart and not even bothered to come out on the balcony in fear of Haley's wrath. Sure she was fine when she was around her friends, but when they were at home, just the two of them. Nathan was about ready to take her out back and shoot her.

"I'll call you later, love you"

"Brooke, why do you tease him like that?

"You think I'm kidding? We're not having anymore babies, he's getting snipped" Brooke said, completely serious. She didn't see the point in not. It wasn't like they were having any more children, and it wasn't like he was ever going to be with anyone else who wanted kids.

"I'll hold him down and let you do it, if I can watch"

"Sure"

"I want at least 4 kids" Haley said, again ignoring both Brooke and Rachel's ranting. She knew Brooke was just being Brooke, and that nothing coming out of her mouth right now was actually true.

"Well you have fun with that"

"I always wanted 2, but yea I'm not so sure anymore"

"Yea well I never wanted any" Brooke muttered, but then felt a little guilty.

"Where are the guys going anyway?"

"To play basketball with Alyssa"

"She plays basketball?" Rachel asked. She'd never met this Alyssa girl but from everything Brooke had said she was like every guys dream come true. She wasn't sure why Brooke and Haley weren't more worried about sending their men off to play with her.

"Apparently"

"Wait, I thought she like hated Lucas"

"Oh, she does" Brooke smiled, actually kind of enjoying the fact that for once, a girl wasn't in love with her boyfriend. Sure, she couldn't understand why. I mean what wasn't to love about Lucas? He was good looking, smart, sweet, and totally romantic. Most every girl who saw him fell for him.

"Then why?"

"I don't know, and at this point I don't care. Normally I'd put on my cutest shirt and tightest jeans and prance around while they played. But since I can barely get up on my own, she's gonna have to wait"

"Nathan likes her. He said she's really nice and loves sports" Haley said, wondering if Alyssa hated Nathan too. Personally she guessed Alyssa didn't really hate either of them, or why else would she play basketball with them every Saturday morning? But Haley kept her thoughts to her self, knowing good and well what Brooke would do if she thought the same thing.

"She's also against sex according to Lucas. She tried to tell him he was going to hell or something"

"What'd he say?"

"Apparently he told her as long as I was in hell with him, he'd be ok" Brooke smiled and suddenly missed her boyfriend. She missed the days where she'd go watch him play basketball, instead of him playing with some stupid girl while she was stuck at home.

"He's so whipped"

"I know"

"Woah um Haley" Rachel gasped almost dropping her bag of marshmallow she'd been snacking on all morning.

"Honey the bathroom's like 3 feet away inside"

"Oh my god, I think my water just broke"

Nathan and Lucas met Alyssa and her friend Jessica at what they referred to as the "new" rivercourt. Ok so it wasn't really on a river but they still had fun on it once a week. Ever since Lucas had done his project with Alyssa and introduced her to Nathan, the 3 of them had actually had a lot of fun playing basketball. Of course Alyssa and Lucas didn't exactly get along that great, but when it came to basketball it didn't really matter. It was someone to play with.

So in usual style Lucas and Nathan stripped their sweatshirts and cell phones on the ground and grabbed the ball. Since once a week was all Lucas was really supposed to play, they made the best of it every Monday afternoon leaving the girls at home to whine and be miserable together.

"Woah, Lis he's a hottie" Jessica whispered as she walked with her friend to meet the two guys they'd be playing basketball with. She hadn't imagined her friend would be able to find such lookers to play basketball with two girls.

"Which one?"

"Both, you take one and I'll take one"

"Hold it Jes, Nathan's married and Lucas has a pregnant girlfriend who's due in like a month" Alyssa explained, making sure her friend didn't do anything stupid. Lucas and Nathan had enough problems as it was, without Jessica trying to hit on them.

"Damn"

"Ok boys you ready to loose"

"Never" Nathan said throwing the ball to Alyssa. He hated how cocky this girl was.

"What's with the bags under the eyes Lucas?"

"I was up with Brooke all night last night explaining to her she's going to be a good mother" Lucas yawned. He had to admit he was exhausted. With the nightmares Brooke had been having neither of them had been getting any sleep.

"Ah, yea I had to do that with Haley like 3 weeks ago"

"I swear Brooke was like shaking. She cried for like an hour because she dreamed social services took the baby away"

"Too much The Sims?" Alyssa laughed. Neither Lucas or Nathan found it really funny. They both felt bad for Brooke and Haley. Neither were actually read for this and were completely miserable right now. Meanwhile there was nothing Lucas and Nathan could do for them to make it better.

"I don't know, I feel bad for her ya know? I mean she's tried so hard this whole pregnancy and now that its getting close she's like petrified"

"Maybe you should have given her like, I don't know… 10 more years?"

"Lets just play" Lucas muttered not in the mood to hear another one of Alyssa's lectures on the way things were _supposed_ to be. If things were the way they were _supposed_ to be, Lucas wouldn't have HCM and would be playing basketball for Carolina right now. And Brooke wouldn't be pregnant and she'd be getting to do all the normal college stuff with him. But none of that was possible and Lucas really wasn't in the mood to listen to a lecture about how it could have been.

Meanwhile back at the apartment Brooke frantically tried to call Lucas and Nathan, neither of which were answering their phones. That definitely wasn't a good sign. Brooke wasn't good in a crisis, and clearly neither was Rachel, considering she was still sitting there eating her marshmallows.

"Hold on Haley, neither one of them are answering" Brooke comforted trying to think of what to do next. They couldn't exactly drive Haley anywhere considering the only car that was here was Brooke's and she couldn't exactly fit behind the wheel anymore.

"What?"

"We have to get her to the hospital"

"I don't know where that is!" Brooke whispered trying not to scare Haley. She hadn't thought to look for the hospital here! They hadn't needed it, and it wasn't like she and Lucas had actually done any real planning for when she went into labor. They were putting that off until the last possible second.

"Ok, me either lets think"

"You guys!"

"Well do you know where it is?" Rachel asked finally putting down her marshmallows.

"No"

"Ok then"

"Ah ha! 411" Brooke shrieked grabbing her cell phone again. She'd just call 411 and ask for the address to the hospital.

"See Haley, Brooke's calling 411, its ok"

"Maybe 911 would be better"

"Do you do that when you're in labor?" Brooke asked trying to decide which to call. She'd always seen them do it in movies and stuff but Haley wasn't screaming in pain yet, so Brooke didn't seen the point.

"Oww"

"What?"

"I think I felt a contraction" Haley cried. Brooke and Rachel both guessed that was probably a sign that they needed to do something fast. What? Neither girl had any idea.

"Shit"

"Ok stay calm"

"911 it is, hi my friends having a baby. Uh huh, no she like just started. Yea that's the thing, we don't know where the hospital is and none of us can exactly fit behind the wheel of my car at the moment. Yea, hold on… Haley what's the address here?" Brooke whispered trying to think.

"Brooke, this is your apartment!"

"I don't know the address! Hey 911 operator we're gonna have to call you back"

"Brooke!" Haley cried not believing this was happening. How did she get stuck with the two most incapable people in the world while she was in labor?

"I have to call Lucas and get the address"

"We really aren't prepared for this"

"Well are you prepared for me to have a baby on your floor?" Haley asked starting to feel more pain. She guessed the thought of blood on her carpet would get Brooke thinking of a better plan.

"Wait, I have an idea"

Peyton sat in her dorm room staring at her blank walls. Her roommate unfortunately wasn't into any of the stuff she was, and so they couldn't agree on any posters to put up. Not that her roommate was ever there anyway. Maybe if she had been then it would have stopped Peyton from making one of the bigger mistakes of her teenage life. In a sense she almost felt like Brooke, stealing someone's virginity. But this time it had been Mouth. Sweet innocent Mouth. Peyton wasn't even sure if he remembered it. He'd been so drunk, and it had been so bad. Even she chose to try and forget that night. It had just been that bad.

As Peyton sat there cringing at the thought of her first college sex being with Mouth McFadden she heard her cell phone vibrate on the table. She wondered if it was him, maybe he finally had the nerve to call and talk about the mistake they'd made.

"Hello?" Peyton asked. Her voice was shaky, since she wasn't sure who it was.

"Peyton, its Brooke"

"Oh hey Brooke"

"We need your help" Brooke said, trying to stay as calm as possible but she wasn't being very convincing.

"Brooke what's wrong??"

"Haley's kind of having her baby and we cant get her to the hospital"

"What!" Peyton asked, definitely not expecting this one. It wasn't like she knew what to do. She'd never been around any pregnant women!

"Can you come get her?"

"Brooke it takes me like 45 minutes to get to your apartment"

"Haley! Cross your legs! Peyton please! Lucas and Nathan wont answer their phones" Brooke begged. She didn't know who else to call. It wasn't like they actually knew anyone in this place.

"I'll be there as soon as I can"

Brooke and Rachel had waited with Haley until Peyton had gotten there and then had gone with her to the hospital. By now Haley was in some serious pain screaming and begging for drugs. Brooke and Rachel had gone completely pale. Neither of them had expected it to be this bad. Luckily they had finally gotten hold of Lucas and Nathan, who were going to meet them there, but were still a good 30 minutes behind them. So this left Brooke, Rachel and Peyton alone to deal with Haley until they got there.

Once at the hospital, Haley was given a room and some drugs to help ease her pain, although Brooke wasn't totally sure they were working. Peyton had explained in the car that they should have a good 3 or 4 hours before Haley actually had the baby. But clearly Peyton had been wrong. The girls were each taking 10-minute shifts sitting with Haley since Lucas and Nathan had gotten stuck in rush hour traffic. And it was Brooke's shift when the doctor finally came in and told Haley it was time.

"Ok Haley, here we go" The nurse said, coming in the room, followed by the doctor.

"What? Nathan's not here yet!"

"Haley, it looks like you've been contracting all day. The baby isn't going to wait"

"Ok well good luck Haley" Brooke smiled making almost a mad dash to the door. Unfortunately, her mad dash wasn't fast enough.

"Brooke, will you stay with me"

"Um"

"Please" Haley begged. Brooke couldn't say no. She knew she wouldn't want to be alone if Lucas weren't there and she guessed Haley was probably terrified.

"Sure?"

Brooke stood back and held Haley's hand. She did everything she could to block out the screaming and everything else that was going on. But even her normally happy thoughts of Lucas shirtless and sweaty weren't really helping with this one. She couldn't believe how bad this actually was. Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, the room door finally swung open and Nathan appeared. Brooke had never been so happy to see the other Scott brother in her life. And after giving Haley a small semi hug and wishing her good luck again, Brooke got out of that room as fast as she could.

Lucas was in the waiting room reading a magazine with Peyton and Rachel when Brooke got there. Although she wasn't sure any of them were really reading. Before she even stepped in the room good, all 3 of them were on their feet wanting details.

"Nathan said he'd come get us" Brooke said, giving them all the information she had and then went and sat with Lucas to recover from what she'd just seen and heard.

"Oh my god, was it that bad?"

"I think I want to cry"

"Don't cry, we'll just make sure they give you a ton of drugs" Lucas laughed kissing Brooke's forehead. She looked completely mortified. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen Brooke that dazed and pale.

"Even those weren't working"

"Was she screaming?"

"Oh yea" Brooke said trying to block the memories from her brain. She didn't understand why they didn't just show them a videotape of that in sex-ed. She definitely would have put serious thought into having sex if she'd seen that first.

"Oh god"

"I know"

"We'll be back" Lucas said pulling Brooke up from the chair. He decided after that last quivery "I know" that Brooke definitely needed to get her mind off of this for now.

"Where are we going?"

"Just walking"

"How was basketball?" Brooke asked as Lucas put his arm around her shoulders as they walked.

"The same as always. Alyssa whining, Nathan sucking, and me winning the whole game"

"I'm sure…Aw, Lucas look" Brooke gushed, stopping at the nursery window to look at all the babies. Normally she wouldn't have thought twice about stopping, instead she'd just walk right past. But today she couldn't help herself.

"5 weeks"

"Or less, Haley's only 35 weeks"

"Don't tell me that" Lucas groaned. He wasn't even ready for 5 weeks, if it were anything less than that he wasn't sure he was going to be able to handle it.

"Scared?"

"Terrified"

"Well after the pain part it'll be fun" Brooke said trying to look on the bright side of the pain. Ok, so she wasn't exactly sure how staying up all night with a screaming baby was going to be fun. But at least she could get skinny again.

"You know how I do with blood"

"But after that it'll be fun. I'm excited. Don't you dare tell Haley I said that either"

"I'm excited too" Lucas said, then kissed Brooke. She did look genuinely happy standing there. She wasn't complaining, or hurting or whining, she was just standing there, giving him that smile she always did that broke his heart. It was moments like this that made Lucas realize exactly why it was Brooke Davis he was in love with.

"I just hope we don't screw it up too bad"

"Of course we will"

"Lucas" Brooke laughed, but she knew he was right. Neither of them were going to have any idea what they were doing.

"But that's ok, because it's ours to screw up"

"Poor kid"

"It could be worse, it could have Nathan and Haley as parents" Lucas whispered, making Brooke laugh again. She wasn't totally sure if that was a worse fate or not at this point. But she guessed they were going to find out soon.

"Lucas! Brooke!"

"Did she have it?"

"Nathan's in the waiting room with him" Peyton yelled from the other end of the hall.

Brooke and Lucas walked back to the waiting room and found Nathan standing there with a tiny baby in a blanket. Brooke assumed that they had been right, and it was a boy judging from the blue hat the baby was wearing. As she and Lucas walked up to Nathan, she was almost scared to touch him he was so small. As she stood there, with Lucas's arms wrapped around her, looking at Nathan and Haley's baby boy, all her excitement turned into fear. She really wasn't ready for this, to be someone's mom. To be responsible for someone's life other than hers. She couldn't even take care of her self most of the time. She tried really hard to smile, and not let her fear show, to just enjoy the moment for Nathan and Haley's sake, but it wasn't easy.

"7 pounds, 14 ounces" Nathan said proudly showing everyone the baby wrapped inside the blanket he was holding. Brooke was kind of surprised Nathan even knew how to hold a baby, she definitely didn't.

"Wow, he's big"

"Basketball player"

"What's his name?" Brooke asked, anxious to hear who'd won the name battle between Nathan and Haley.

"Samson Michael"

"He looks like a Samson"

"Sadly that's what Haley said" Nathan sighed, clearly kind of disappointed that it wasn't Evan, but it didn't seem to be bothering him too much.

"How's Hales?"

"Tired, but happy. She got her way with names. I almost had to pry him from her arms to bring him out here to show you guys"

"I'll be right back" Brooke whispered, leaving everyone to coo and gush over the little baby. She wasn't sure if it was her hormones or what but this was all just too much to handle right now for some reason.

She'd barely made it to the bathroom before Lucas found her. She'd really wanted to avoid the crying thing with him, at least until they got home since it seemed like that's all she'd done lately was cry and have him comfort her. But she couldn't help it. She didn't know what was wrong with her lately.

"Luke, this is the girls bathroom" Brooke almost laughed seeing Lucas walk through the door. The things that man did for her without even having to think twice about it.

"I know, what's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"Brooke Davis, don't lie to me" Lucas said giving her a look.

"I don't think I want to do this anymore"

"Babe, we don't have much of a choice"

"Lucas, did you see how tiny that baby was? I've never even held a baby. How am I supposed to have one?" Brooke asked completely serious. She had figured at least Nathan would be worse than she was, but he had come out looking so sure of himself holding his baby.

"You're going to do fine, and so what if you've never held a baby. I hear its not that hard to learn. Plus, its kind of sweet our baby will be the first one you hold"

"I'm so scared"

"Of what?" Lucas asked brushing Brooke's hair out of her eyes.

"Everything Luke, I don't know how to do anything"

"Neither do I, but we'll figure it out together and I'll be there for everything, ok?"

"What about when you're at class or work?" Brooke asked, knowing that's how it was going to be. Lucas had to go to school, and she had to be there with the baby and that terrified her.

"Then you call me when it gets too much and I'll come home. We're gonna figure this out, and in a few years we're going to look back and wonder what we were so afraid of, ok?"

"Ok"

"Can we get out of here now before some woman comes in and beats me with her purse" Lucas asked making Brooke smile a little bit. Finally Brooke took his hand and decided to believe that everything he'd told her was the truth. At least for now.


	21. Chapter 20

**Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday! Now its the chapter you've all been waiting for. But first, just a few things I should fill everyone in on. I'm ending this story (Shake) at Chapter 25. I was planning to go to 30, but after I wrote 25, it couldnt have ended any better. Anymore chapters and I would have been screwing with my perfect ending. Thats the bad news. Now for the good news! haha, I'm doing a sequel! Yes, you all know how I love sequels, and I feel like I could really take this story and these characters farther, just not at the ages and places I have them now. So we're gonna bump it up, and have them 21 or so. Anyways! The Sequel is called "Happy Someday" and it will be up shortly after this one is finished! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter... and please review:)**

_Taking risks is part of life, nothing good is ever handed to you, but when fate brings someone into your life, don't let people's opinions or your fear come between what your heart really wants. Its a scary thing to follow your heart and it is easier to just ignore it, but it's much scarier when you allow fear into your life because you could, miss out on everything you were meant for._

Brooke Davis rolled out of bed, only because she was forced too by her needy boyfriend. Only to be met in the den by an even needier Haley and her 1-week-old baby. After hearing this baby scream constantly for the past week, Brooke wasn't really sure she wanted a baby anymore. Hell, maybe she'd just make enough dresses to hire a nanny or something. Well that and figure out a way to sound proof the baby's room so she could get some descent sleep once in a while.

"Does he ever stop crying?" Brooke asked not believing the lungs on Haley's kid. It was a constant ear piercing screech almost that was about to drive Brooke crazy. She'd been over everyday with the baby and Brooke couldn't take it anymore.

"Only when he's eating"

"Well that's fun"

"Oh but Brooke this is your lucky day!" Haley said, trying to be as enthusiastic as possible. But considering how tired she was, she wasn't totally sure it was working.

"I get to go back to sleep? And not get up all day?"

"No, we have a present for you"

"Whose we?" Brooke asked, swearing that if the present had something to do with her getting to change the baby's diaper, she was going to push Haley off their balcony.

"Can you hold him for a sec"

"She doesn't do the baby holding thing, hand him here"

"Ok when you're dressed and ready read this card" Haley said handing Brooke what looked like a birthday card. She really hoped it was money, but considering how cheap Nathan and Haley were, she seriously doubted it.

"Is it my death sentence? Please say it is"

"No, its fun"

"Haley, I'm 8 and 1/2 months pregnant. Nothing's fun except sleeping and Lucas rubbing my back" Brooke whined just wanting the baby to stop crying.

"Lucas is part of the fun"

"Fine, but there better be food. I'm starving"

After throwing on a pair of Juicy's and some make up Brooke finally came back into the den and opened the letter. She was kind of disappointed to find only a blank piece of paper with an address scribbled on it. Haley was seriously on crack. Even if Brooke cared where the address leads too, it wasn't like she could just get in the car and drive there. Brooke had almost decided to just give up when Lucas finally came in.

"Ready?" Lucas asked grabbing his cell phone and car keys. Brooke didn't look amused sitting there on the couch with the letter.

"For what? Lucas tell me what she's doing"

"I cant"

"Why?" Brooke whined. She couldn't understand why Lucas couldn't just tell her. Her life sucked right now as it was, and this was just making things worse. Her legs hurt, her back ached and her feet were swollen. And now she was being tortured.

"Because it's a surprise"

After a good 10 minutes of begging, Lucas finally got Brooke into the car and told her he'd tell her on the way there. Of course he wasn't, but she didn't have to know that at the time. He, Haley, Rachel and Peyton had worked way too long on this surprise for it to get blown now. He was actually kind of shocked that nosey Brooke hadn't caught on to it by now. But then again she had been pretty miserable lately.

Lucas drove up to Nathan and Haley's apartment complex and helped Brooke out of the car and up the stairs. At this point she'd decided that she definitely wasn't speaking to him anymore and he was just trying to torture her until she couldn't take it anymore. Making her listen to that damn baby scream for hours and hours on end.

"Surprise!" Was all Brooke heard as Lucas opened the door to Nathan and Haley's apartment. She couldn't believe she hadn't caught on to this before now. She seriously had the best friends ever.

"What? You guys! Ugh I hate you so much! How long have you been planning this?"

"For like 3 weeks! I can't believe you didn't catch on"

"Yea, I really didn't care. Karen!" Brooke smiled seeing that even Karen had come to the baby shower. Everything around the whole apartment was decorated with greens and yellows and purples and most all of her friends were there, including Bevin and Skills.

"Hey Brooke, you've grown"

"Oh, thanks"

"So, what do you think?" Haley asked once Brooke had finished hugging everyone. Clearly Haley had been the one to set everything up. How she managed to do it with a new baby and all. Brooke would never know, but she loved her so much for doing it.

"Its all very green"

"Since you don't know what the baby is"

"Right" Brooke laughed, forgetting for a minute that Lucas was there and he still had no idea.

"Everything I got you is blue, don't worry"

"So what was with the funky address?"

"Well you can thank your boyfriend for this one" Rachel said raising her eyebrows at Lucas. Brooke was clearly so out of the loop here it was killing her. How had she missed all of this?

"I just stole the designs"

"You stole them! I knew a mouse didn't eat them!"

"And that's the address of the store that's selling your designs" Peyton said pointing to the envelope Brooke was still carrying in her hand from the house.

"What?"

"You've worked so hard on them the past few months, and so we took them and this store downtown really loved them and wants to pick them up"

"You deserve it" Lucas smiled, kissing his girlfriends cheek. Brooke didn't know what to say. She hadn't expected a baby shower; much less this… or what happened next.

"I think she's speechless"

"Pain"

"What?" Haley laughed, really not getting what Brooke meant until after she'd asked.

"In my back" Brooke said grabbing at her back, completely loosing her train of thought.

"Can we ever get through a baby shower?"

"Here, sit down"

"How many weeks are you now Brooke?" Karen asked, helping Brooke down onto the couch.

"Almost 34"

Brooke would have never imagined she'd be the one stuck with the 14-hour labor. 14 grueling hours of pain that even the drugs couldn't knock out. She'd never expected it to be this bad. Of course Lucas stayed with her the whole time, holding her hand and talking to her. And as much fun as it was trying to break her boyfriends hand during each contraction, she wasn't sure it was really worth the effort right now. Near the end, between contractions Brooke spent a lot of time explaining to Lucas how he was going to pay for this, and then during them she'd just give that up and decide she was just going to kill him for doing this to her.

People always told her the actual birthing process wasn't as bad as they made it out to be in the beginning. But Brooke clearly hadn't made it out to be as painful as it really was. Haley had spent hours telling her how it was so beautiful and peaceful having her baby but Brooke didn't really see it. She just couldn't understand why her baby was torturing her like this. She'd been a good mom so far, caved into every craving the baby wanted, bought it nice things, and even talked to it when she was home alone. But if the pain that the baby was causing her was any indication of what she'd done so far, clearly she hadn't done enough.

The baby was going to be early, but the doctors didn't seem too concerned. They'd explained to Brooke and Lucas that as long as the baby was breathing ok and weighed over 5 pounds they said it should be fine to go home with them, depending on how everything went. But Brooke still didn't like the word 'early' no matter what the doctors said. Then, to top matters off… if the pain of actually having the baby hadn't been bad enough as it was. The words that Brooke heard after the most painful 14 hours of her life almost gave her a heart attack.

"And you've got a beautiful baby girl" The doctor announced holding the baby in the air. Brooke almost choked on the doctor's words. Either the pain medicine they had her on was making her delusional, or the doctor had just said the baby was a girl.

"What?"

"It's a girl"

"No its not" Brooke said knowing good and well it couldn't be. Her baby was a boy. The baby's bedroom set up for a boy. It had all boy clothes. She wasn't having a girl.

"Yea Brooke, she definitely is" Lucas said kind of confused. From what he saw there was no mistaking that the baby was a girl.

"No, no I cheated and looked on the sheet! It said male!"

"Apparently you cheated wrong"

"Here's your baby" The nurse said handing Lucas the tiny baby wrapped in a blanket. He looked down at her for a second. Compared to Nathan and Haley's baby she was so small in his arms. And as much as he hated to admit it, she looked just like Brooke right down to the fact that she was already whining at him. Once he'd seen Nathan with his son, deep down he'd kind of hoped the baby would be a boy. But right then, standing there, holding his baby girl, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

"You weren't supposed to be a girl" Brooke whispered to the little baby Lucas was holding.

"I can't believe you cheated"

"Lucas"

"Brooke, don't cry I'm not mad" Lucas said, feeling pretty bad he'd upset her. At this point he didn't really care if she'd looked before hand or not. It definitely hadn't mattered.

"I'm not crying, it's a girl?" Brooke asked, finally realizing what had just happened. It had taken her a few minutes to realize she'd just had a baby, much less that her baby was a baby girl. The little baby in Lucas's arms was so sweet and beautiful. A little gross, Brooke wasn't going to lie but somehow she didn't really care. She hated to admit that all those things Karen and Haley had told her about having a baby were all true.

"Yea"

"I think I really wanted a girl"

"Sure you did, here" Lucas said, trying to hand the baby to Brooke.

"No, I might drop her"

"You're not going to drop her"

"She's so tiny, and thank god she's not a blonde" Brooke said letting out a sigh of relief as she held her baby. Brooke looked at her baby for a second and tried to comprehend it all. It seemed like just yesterday she'd found out she was pregnant and was dead set on not having kids. Now here it was, 8 and 1/2 months later and she was still pretty dead set on not having kids, she wasn't going to lie. But it was different with her baby. It wasn't like some kid that had been forced on her, like Brooke had been scared of. Here she'd only been holding her for a few minutes and she was pretty sure she already loved her more then anything else in her life.

"We did good" Lucas said stretching his arms back proudly like he'd actually done something. It made Brooke laugh, but love him that much more.

"We did"

"_You_ did good, babe. I'm proud of you"

"Ok, we're going to take her now, get her all cleaned up and check her out ok?" The nurse said reaching to take the baby. Brooke didn't like the idea of this. Giving her baby to some strange nurse after only like 2 seconds of holding her.

"Now? I just got her"

"We'll bring her back"

"Wait, I need a picture with her first" Brooke said remembering what Karen had told her about remembering everything about the first time she held her baby.

"Ok, 1…2…3"

"Ok one more, a crazy one"

"You aren't" Lucas sighed, realizing his girlfriend was probably the only new mother in the world, that would insist on having a picture with her newborn baby, with her tongue sticking out.

"There, now I have something to send to every girl who ever wanted to date you"

"You're so thoughtful"

"Bye baby, Lucas go with her" Brooke said, motioning for Lucas to get out of his seat. She couldn't exactly get up but Lucas could and she didn't want the baby to get scared without one of them their with her.

"She's just right over there"

"I don't want her to be alone, go take pictures"

"Brooke, are you feeling ok?" The doctor asked. Brooke hadn't really thought about it until now, but she was feeling a little dizzy. She guessed that was probably a side affect of what she'd just been through.

"Kind of dizzy"

"We're going to put some oxygen on you now. You're bleeding a little bit"

"Is that bad?" Brooke asked. She really didn't like the tone of the doctors voice. The way she was trying to act overly nice like everything was just fine, when it really wasn't.

"We're working on controlling it, make sure she stays awake"

"Hey Brooke. 4 pounds, 15 ounces. 18 inches long"

"Aw, she's so tiny" Brooke laughed, watching in the corner of the room as Lucas took a million different versions of the same picture. But that was Lucas, and she was sure she'd be glad she had every copy one day.

"So Brooke, what's her name?"

"I don't know, Lucas gets to name her"

"Is she ok?" Lucas asked, walking back to Brooke's bedside to check on her. He noticed she was a lot paler than when he'd left, and kind of shaky.

"Keep talking to her"

"That's right, I do get to name her don't I?"

"Oh god" Brooke sighed, trying to shake her head slowly without getting any dizzier.

"Nora's nice, Sara, Alice"

"Or Romy"

"Romy?" Lucas asked, wishing she wasn't still stuck on that name. He'd even have agreed on Lola. But Romy?

"Or Madelyn"

"Madelyn huh…"

"Ok I'm calling it, lets get her set up for a D&C" The doctor said taking off gloves and scrubs.

"A what?"

"Lucas, Brooke's still bleeding. It's not a big problem yet and I don't want it to turn into one. We're going to take her into surgery, put her under a general anesthesia, stop the bleeding and she'll be as good as knew in 2 or 3 days. There's no cutting involved or anything like that. We need you to sign this"

"But" Lucas wasn't really sure what to do. Brooke had been just fine a few minutes ago.

"Lucas, we'll take care of her. My advice is take your baby out and show your family and friends. She's a tiny little thing but she's breathing just fine and crying like a pro. We'll take care of Brooke and come and get you when we're finished"

Lucas reluctantly signed the papers and then went back by Brooke's side. By the time he got there she'd gotten even paler and was crying. The nurse finished explaining to her what the doctor just explained to him, and then left them alone for a second while they got things ready.

"Hey pretty girl, you did so good" Lucas whispered wiping the tears from her face. He felt so bad for her. After everything what she'd been through, and everything she'd worked for today, she wasn't even going to get to enjoy holding their baby like everyone else.

"Lucas I'm scared"

"I'll be here when you wake up ok?"

"Ok" Brooke agreed and then let Lucas kiss her forehead, like he always did to comfort him. She really didn't see how this was fair. But then that was the story of her life.

"Ok, lets get her in"

"I love you, you know that?" Lucas asked, giving her one last kiss before they took her away.

"I love you too"

Lucas took a minute after they'd taken Brooke up to just breath and take in everything that had happened in the past day. He hadn't even had a chance until now to realize he hadn't slept in 24 hours. He may have fallen asleep right then and there if the nurse hadn't interrupted by handing him the baby.

"Mr. Scott, did you want to take her and show your family?"

Lucas stood there for a second to look at his daughter, now cleaned up with a pink hat covering her dark hair. He couldn't even begin to imagine how spoiled she was going to be. Actually he could, because he knew he was going to be just as bad as Brooke when it came to that aspect. After spending a few more minutes just looking down, in almost awe at what he and Brooke had made. He carried the baby out to the weighting room to show everyone.

"Let me see my grandson!" Karen shrieked before Lucas had barely made it past the door jamb.

"Sorry Luke we had to tell her! He's so, pink"

"Maybe they ran out of blue?"

"She told you all it was a boy" Lucas laughed, now seeing the reasoning behind all of Brooke's name game deals and blues and greens fetish.

"Sort of"

"Yea, not a boy"

"What? Brooke was so sure" Haley said, as confused as everyone else. Lucas guessed that Brooke had told everyone in the room that it was going to be a boy, except for him.

"Brooke just saw male, she didn't look to see that female was circled"

"Awe, She's so tiny"

"4 pounds 15 ounces" Lucas said realizing that the baby was ½ the side of Nathan and Haley's.

"How's Brooke? The doctor came out and said they were taking her to do a D&C. She'll recover fast. I had one with you. But she will need about a week to get back on her feet, so I'll be here"

"Thanks mom"

"So what's her name?" Peyton asked, anxious to hear what Lucas had come up with. She was pretty glad it had been a girl, because Brooke's name for a boy just wasn't fair to a kid. Meanwhile Lucas had probably come up with something classic from a book or an old play.

"Romy" Lucas sighed officially giving in, yet again to his girlfriend. He hated to admit it but she actually even looked like a Romy believe it or not. She definitely wasn't a Sara or a Jessica or anything common like that.

"What?"

"Romy Madelyn"

"You're kidding" Karen laughed, actually hoping her son was joking. The name had no meaning in it whatsoever other than Brooke liked it because of some designer.

"What happened to Laura Beth?"

"Brooke really wanted Romy, and she looks like a Romy"

"I hate to tell you Luke, but she looks just like Brooke" Haley laughed, stating the obvious. Other than having Lucas's olive green eyes, which babies usually didn't have and the same birthmark on her left arm that Lucas had, Romy Madelyn Scott was all Brooke Davis.

"And she's just as loud as her too"

"Romy?" Karen asked again, still trying to wrap her head around the terrible name.

"I can't get over how small she is. She makes Sammy look so big"

"Sam is big Hales. He's a basketball player"

"He's not even 2 weeks old" Haley muttered trying to ignore Nathan's basketball talk for at least the next 5 years with her baby boy.

"Can I hold her?" Karen asked reaching to take the baby girl from her son. But Lucas wasn't totally sure he was ready to give her up yet.

"In a second"

"Aw, you're attached already"

"Is Brooke happy?" Peyton asked, realizing no one had thought to yet ask how little Romy's mommy was taking the news of having a daughter.

"She really is, hold on I've got a picture of her holding Romy"

"I should have known"

"Can I at least hold her while you're getting the picture out?" Karen begged jumping at any chance to hold her new granddaughter.

"Just for a second"

"Is Brooke sticking her tongue out?"

"Oh yea, I think that ones for you Peyton" Lucas laughed remembering what Brooke had said about that picture. Only Peyton didn't seem to get the joke.

"Aw, she does look happy"

"Ok you can give her back now"

"Lucas, fine" Karen sighed, reluctantly handing the baby girl back to Lucas.

"She's definitely a daddy's girl"

"Until Brooke gets her hands on her"

Lucas showed off his daughter a little longer until the nurse came to get her so she could be fed. After that came the hard part. The waiting game. Waiting for the doctor to come and tell them how Brooke was doing. Finally after what seemed like waiting forever, the doctor came out and told Lucas he could go see her in recovery. So after making a quick stop by the nursery to pick up Romy, Lucas met Brooke back in her room. She looked a lot more alert than the last time he'd seen her, but was clearly still on some kind of painkillers judging from her good mood.

"Hey pretty girl" Lucas smiled sitting in the chair next too Brooke's bed.

"Hey"

"How are you feeling?"

"Drugged, you know it's not that bad. I see why Peyton likes it so much" Brooke said letting out a small laugh. Drugged or not, she was definitely still sore and tired.

"I brought someone to see you"

"Aw, my baby girl"

"Seems like everyone outside expected a boy" Lucas said, trying to look as shocked as possible while handing Brooke the baby. Brooke had pretty much toned Lucas out once the baby was in her arms but was still pretending to pay some kind of attention to him.

"Wow, really? That's crazy"

"It really was"

"Go ahead, just tell me her name so I can start coming up with some kind of nickname for my poor baby" Brooke sighed realizing what he was getting at. She guessed it was only fair that he got to name her; after all he had won fair and square. Even with her cheating.

"Good, I've already filled everything out, you've just got to sign off on it" Lucas smiled, handing her the birth certificate.

"Romy Madelyn"

"As much as I hate to admit it, she even looks like a Romy" Lucas muttered trying to act like he didn't like it. But it had actually really grown on him and couldn't imagine the baby being named anything else.

"Of course she does. Thank you Lucas"

"For what?"

"Talking me into having her" Brooke smiled deciding she definitely wasn't going to get emotional as she said any of this.

"I didn't talk you into anything"

"You practically begged"

"Ok maybe asked" Lucas compromised, knowing she was right. He had begged and pleaded and everything else in the beginning.

"Either way, I'm glad you did. Who knew we could have made this on a trampoline"

"You really think it was the trampoline?"

"Definitely" Brooke laughed, remembering what a hard time they had had with condoms that night.

"Yea, well she's never getting one of those by the way"

"Scared she's going to break her neck?"

"No I'm scared she's going to use it at 17 like we did" Lucas said, completely serious when he said it. He was also going to make sure to buy her a 2-seater when she turned 16 too, just so she had no back seat.

"Good point, she is our child"

"My thoughts exactly"

"But we do make pretty babies, too bad we aren't ever having anymore" Brooke sighed, but made sure that that last line got through Lucas's brain, and penis for that matter.

"Still? Even after holding her?"

"Nope"

"I guess it's a good thing she's perfect then" Lucas said, shaking his head. Brooke laughed so hard at this it made her sides hurt. Of course she completely agreed that they had the perfect baby. But just hearing Lucas sound like one of those proud dads was enough to make anyone laugh.

"God, we sound like biast Naley parents"

"Oh no see, we're just truthful. We can't help it if we have the best looking baby"

"Good point, I like the way you think" Brooke smiled. This was the easy part. Sitting here with _her_ Lucas, gushing over _their_ baby. The hard part wouldn't come for another week or so, when Lucas had to go back to class and Brooke was home alone with baby Romy… or worse, home with Romy and Karen. But for now, it was nice like this. Just having Lucas and Romy all to herself. Just the 3 of them.

_Once in awhile,  
Right in the middle of an ordinary life,  
__Love__ gives us a fairy tale._

_It gives you something to believe in again._


	22. Chapter 21

**Hi all! So... here's chapter 21! Enjoy. **

"Aww, Brooke she's beautiful" Haley cooed at the tiny baby in the pink bassinet. Brooke couldn't help but smile and brag about her baby as everyone commented on how beautiful she was.

"I know, isn't she?"

"Aww, and her little dress! When did you have time to make that?"

"I wish I had time to even blink" Haley laughed, not able to comprehend how Brooke had had so much free time on her hands. Sammy had almost been home 2 weeks and Haley still couldn't find time to do anything but shower.

"Yesterday, I made like 3"

"They're amazing" Rachel smiled, reaching down to look at the pink and white dress with the matching hair band Romy was wearing.

"Don't touch, germs" Karen whispered as she walked by with some dirty bottles, scaring all 3 of the girls away from the bassinet a little.

"Don't you just want to snuggle with her all the time?"

"Snuggle? I'm just glad when I get to look at her with Karen here"

"What do you mean?" Haley asked, kind of confused by Brooke's comment. Although she had noticed Karen's clinglyness to the baby while they were there. She wasn't even sure she'd seen Brooke hold Romy.

"It was a fight just to let me dress her today"

"Really?"

"What? Why?" Haley asked, but was interrupted by Karen breaking between her and Brooke.

"Brooke, what are you doing?"

"She's crying, I'm giving her a pacifier" Brooke said, looking down at her little baby. A pacifier didn't comfort her for long, but it helped, and at this point Brooke was up for anything.

"Do you and Lucas really want to pay for braces in 12 years?"

"No, but I don't want her crying. Here baby" Brooke smiled, giving Romy her pacifier. She didn't care if they had to get her braces in 12 years. She just didn't want her Romy upset now.

"Brooke, if you cater to her needs like that she's going to cry a lot longer than if she just gets used to it. Believe me, she'll be sleeping through the nights a lot faster if we do it this way"

"But she looks so sad"

"If we let her cry she'll realize that's not how she gets what she wants. It worked with Lucas" Karen said matter of fact tone. The same tone she'd been using all day with Brooke. At this point Brooke didn't really care what had worked with Lucas. Romy wasn't Lucas and Brooke wasn't Karen.

"Karen, she's 3 days old"

"I've got it, now you go rest"

"See what I mean?" Brooke muttered. At this point she didn't have the energy to fight with Karen. So after giving Romy a quick kiss and a sad smile, Brooke gave into Karen and hoped Romy didn't resent her too much for it one day.

"A little possessive over something that isn't hers isn't she?" Rachel asked, seeing how obviously upset Brooke was over this. Rachel hadn't had her baby yet, but she was pretty sure she'd be on the verge of tears too if someone had basically taken her place in the baby's life.

"I know it must be hard for her to see us with babies though"

"I know, and that's why I haven't said anything to her about it. But I miss my baby. Seriously, I'm standing 10 feet away from her and I already miss her" Brooke sighed realizing how pathetic she sounded. But she didn't know what else to do. She still didn't have the energy to get up with Romy all night, and Lucas had to sleep for class. So until they had this under control, she couldn't say anything to piss Karen off.

"Aww, Brooke"

"You're still pale and shaky"

"I'm still sore" Brooke half laughed as she walked from the bedroom towards the den.

"Maybe you should go lie down"

"We'll send Lucas in there to snuggle with you"

In the den it was taking Lucas all he had not to fall asleep while reading his history. Romy had only been home for 2 nights and he was already exhausted. How they were going to get through the next 18 years? He wasn't really sure. He was just glad his mom was here to help some. He really hadn't expected her to be as much help as she was, but with Brooke still weak and recovering, and him having to still go to class and study. Having his mom there had been a godsend.

Peyton had been sitting on the other end of the couch for a while now, and Lucas couldn't figure out why she wasn't in the bedroom awing over the baby like the rest of the women. In fact he was kind of disappointed she wasn't, he thought Romy was definitely awe worthy.

"You look tired" Peyton laughed, watching as Lucas almost dropped his history book on the floor as he dozed off.

"Class and a baby wasn't the best idea ever"

"Re-thinking some things?"

"No, I mean it's hard but she's worth it" Lucas smiled. He knew what Peyton was getting at and he definitely wasn't going to let her have any idea in her mind that he for some reason regretted anything about Brooke or Romy.

"You don't have to lie to me Luke"

"I just wish she would sleep, or at least stop crying. I rocked her for 4 hours last night and she screamed 3 of them"

"That sucks" Peyton sighed trying to imagine what that must have been like. But as much as she liked to think that Lucas was having a hard time with this, she knew that didn't matter. She saw the way he looked while he was holding Romy earlier. The smile he had on his face as he talked about the little girl. And it broke Peyton's heart. It hurt that it was Brooke and his baby that was making him so happy.

"She's so sweet though, I swear she smiled last night while I was reading to her. My mom says it's too early but there was definitely a smile"

"Hey Luke, we're heading out. Brooke's in the bedroom, you might wanna" Haley whispered motioning towards the bedroom so Lucas would get the picture without her having to say too much around Peyton.

Brooke sat in bed with her face in her hands crying. She felt just as hormonal now as she had when she'd gotten pregnant. As usual she wasn't sure what she was crying about, but whatever it was, the crying seemed to help. Now she just couldn't remember what had been going through her mind when she'd agreed to let Karen stay and help with the baby. Lucas of course, being a guy seemed to think this was the greatest thing ever, having Karen here to help with the baby. But Brooke on the other hand, couldn't stand it. She'd actually kind of looked forward to rocking her baby to sleep and feeding her, but Karen wasn't letting any of that happen and it was driving Brooke crazy. It was everything Brooke could to do keep from snapping. So, to help with her frustration she cried, and planned on ways to turn Romy against Karen as soon as she was old enough.

"Hey babe, what's wrong?" Lucas whispered lying down beside Brooke.

"I want my baby"

"Well let's go get her"

"Have you tried taking her from your mother? It's like prying something from the Jaws of Life" Brooke sighed, letting another tear run down her cheek. She wasn't in the mood to argue with Lucas about his mother and her "help".

"She's just trying to help, and you have to admit she is"

"I know, but it's not her baby"

"She knows that" Lucas said, starting to realize what this was about. Brooke had been so sure of things lately that he'd forgotten that there even was an insecure side of Brooke Davis.

"That's a good girl Lyn" Brooke and Lucas both heard Karen whisper as she walked past the bedroom carrying Romy in one arm and some laundry in the other.

"Then why the hell is she calling my Romy 'Lyn'?"

"Romy Made**_lyn, _**you know she hated the name Romy" Lucas said, wishing his mother hadn't walked by with Romy at the worst possible time.

"Has she changed the name of her mother on the birth certificate too?"

"I'll tell her to start calling her Romy"

"You can tell her she can go home too if you'd like" Brooke said, deciding maybe she was in the mood to argue with Lucas about Karen. Sure he didn't see what the big deal was. He'd gotten to spend 6 hours with Romy yesterday while Karen was cooking and cleaning.

"I don't see what the problem is Brooke, she's helping out"

"The problem? Lucas the problem is she's my baby and I haven't held her once today. Do you know how many times I've fed her since I came home? Twice"

"She probably thinks you just need the rest" Lucas said trying not to piss her off, but come up with a reasonable explanation at the same time.

"What I need is my baby, and you are going to go and get her for me and I am going to hold her and rock her to sleep and be her mother"

"My moms giving her a bath"

"A bath? She's giving her her first bath? Lucas I want my baby" Brooke said gritting her teeth. She didn't want to take this out on Lucas but she would if she had too.

"Brooke, you know how hard of a time she's had since she lost the baby. She needs this and the doctor said you need your rest"

"I know, and I'm sorry this is so hard on her, but it is not fair to me to sit her and listen to her sing _my_ daughter to sleep. For her to be the one playing with her, and feeding her and bonding with her. She's my goddamn baby Lucas. I'm the one who carried her for 8 and ½ months; I'm the one who stayed on all night while she kicked me constantly! I gave birth to her damn it! And just because I'm cant get up with her every 3 hours doesn't mean I don't love her just as much as you two do"

"Brooke's no ones saying"

"Lucas, you go get me Romy right now or I swear to god I will go down there and take her myself, and I will not be nice about it" Brooke said completely serious, almost begging Lucas to help her with this.

Lucas gave Brooke a sad look for a second, and then agreed. Normally he would have just put this off as one of her moments and moved on. But something about the sad look in her eyes, made him see how serious she actually was. He felt bad it had taken her to get this upset for him to see how much she just wanted to bond with her baby. So after giving Brooke a short, sweet kiss Lucas went to find Karen.

"Hey, I need Romy" Lucas said, meeting his mom in the kitchen. By the time he got in there, She'd already finished the baby's bath and was dressing her… in yellow.

"Lucas, she's finally asleep. Please don't wake her"

"Mom, Brooke"

"Lucas, Brooke's just emotional from all the hormones. All women are after they have a baby. She needs her rest, I don't want her getting too worked up or tired and relapsing" Karen whispered hoping her words would get through Lucas's head.

"Yea, well I'm kind of scared she's going to kill me if I don't bring her Romy, so we're going to risk waking her up"

"Lucas!"

Brooke laid in bed, staring at the ceiling listening to her baby cry. So ok, she had to admit, maybe sending Lucas to get Romy earlier hadn't been the best idea, since she hadn't gone back to sleep since. But that wasn't the point. What was the point was the fact that Karen had come in 10 minutes after Lucas had brought her in and taken her again. She knew Karen was in there with her by the sound of the rocking chair gliding back and forth, but Karen wasn't doing her usual baby talk she did to Romy while rocking her. Brooke's best guess was that Super Karen had finally fallen and caved to the temptation of sleep while rocking Romy. Brooke wished she could just fall asleep, but hearing her baby cry was breaking her heart and no one was doing anything about it. Poor Lucas was asleep beside her; Brooke guessed he'd passed out from sheer exhaustion. Everyone was exhausted but her. Then why should she be? All Lucas and Karen had let her do the past 2 days was sleep.

Finally Brooke decided she couldn't take it anymore and quietly got out of bed, making sure not to wake Lucas up. Then crept to the next room where Karen was asleep in the rocking chair, with Romy in her arms. Brooke just stood there for a minute trying to think what to do to make her baby stop crying. She wasn't completely sure that was possible. Since they'd brought her home, Romy had done nothing but cry constantly, and if Super Karen pro mom couldn't get Romy to sleep, Brooke was guessing she couldn't either. But she decided to take her anyway, for her own sake more than Romy's. So once Brooke was sure Karen was completely out, she reached down carefully and took the tiny baby out of her arms and slowly carried the little baby to the den.

"Hi baby" Brooke smiled sitting back against the couch with her baby in her arms, still screaming. This was the first time Brooke had actually been alone with Romy and she wasn't really sure what to do. Normally when she actually did get to hold her, Karen has hovering, whining at Brooke to watch her head, or telling her to hold her a different way.

"So you cant sleep either?" Brooke asked not sure where she was going with this. She didn't know what to say to a baby. Clearly Romy wasn't going to talk back, so Brooke tried to think what to do next.

"You're gonna have to help me out with this baby girl, I don't know what the hell I'm doing" Brooke was getting frustrated with herself now. Why was this so hard for her? Romy was just a baby, there had to be some way to get her to sleep. So Brooke started think as she rocked the baby back and forth in her arms. She thought about the things that helped her get to sleep. Sex and alcohol, neither of which were going to work in this case, but she'd have to play on them. Sex meant Lucas, and Lucas did help her sleep normally. It wasn't until a few minutes later, after Brooke had gone through every possible sleeping scenario that it finally came to Brooke. She wasn't sure if it was going to work, but it was worth a try. Brooke laid back on the couch, rested Romy's head on her chest, right above her heart, then patted the baby's back until she finally went silent. Brooke wasn't sure she'd ever been as pleased with herself as she was the minute Romy finally stopped crying. This had been all she'd wanted to do since they'd brought her home. Just hold her baby and let it all sink in. Just looking at Romy made her smile, seeing how tiny and perfect she was. Brooke could have never imagined she'd love someone this much. It was a different kind of love then she had for Lucas or her friends. They'd all had to earn her heart, but Romy, all she had to do was yawn or look at her with those green eyes and Brooke's heart was completely melted.

Brooke laid there Romy while she slept for the next few hours, just talking to her and telling her stories about her and Lucas and their life before her, until the sun came up and alarms started going off in the kitchen waking everyone up, including Romy. Luckily to Brooke's surprise, the pacifiers Karen had refused to use, worked like a charm keeping Romy from crying. Giving Brooke a chance to do all the things she'd wanted to do with her baby. Like give her a bath and dress her and then finally take her to the kitchen and get her bottle.

It hadn't taken Karen long to panic once she woke up and realized there wasn't a baby in her arms, or the crib. She and Lucas both panicked when they realized neither one of them had the baby, nor she wasn't anywhere to be seen or heard. Neither even thought that Brooke might have her. In fact, as far as Lucas knew she was still asleep in the bedroom.

"I was rocking her to sleep!" Karen said trying to stay as calm as possible, but so many terrible things were going through her mind. She couldn't imagine who in their right mind would come in and steal a baby right out of her arms.

"Well then where is she?"

"You don't have her?"

"No, mom you said you had her when I went to bed" Lucas said, in more of a panic than Karen. He'd imagined all the terrible things that could go wrong having a baby, but loosing her definitely hadn't been one of them.

"Had who?"

"Brooke, we thought we'd lost her"

"She thought she'd lost her" Lucas corrected, making sure Brooke knew he didn't have any part of this.

"She's fine, and she actually slept for 2 and ½ hours"

"Here, I can do that" Karen said, offering to take the bottle that Brooke was feeding Romy with away. But Brooke quickly stepped back not giving Karen the chance too.

"No, its fine I've got it"

"Ok I've gotta get to class, are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

"We're fine. Go" Brooke promised, giving Lucas a quick kiss.

"You're sure?"

"Lucas"

"Fine, but when I get home I get both of you to myself" Lucas finally caved, realizing he really didn't have a choice. But he really hated leaving Brooke and especially Romy home like that. He had this fear he was going to miss something important.

"We'll probably be passed out in our bed, hopefully"

"Perfect"

"Now Romy and I are going to go open baby shower presents, aren't we?" Brooke asked the baby as soon as Lucas had finally made it out the door. She hated to see him go, especially since she knew how much this was killing him to leave Romy. As far as Brooke was concerned she was never leaving her.

"Brooke, maybe you should go put away laundry, or do dishes or something productive"

"Presents are productive. Romy and I will put away the presents after we're finished ripping through them. She's got to learn the art of unwrapping presents at some point"

"Brooke! You're not getting it. You have responsibilities now! Things that are more important than opening presents" Karen sighed shaking her head at Brooke. Brooke wasn't sure where this spaz out had come from. The presents needed to be opened and put away since Brooke hadn't had a chance to do it before now.

"Really? Because last time I checked my only responsibility was Romy, and you weren't really letting me do anything with her anyway"

"I knew you weren't ready for this. This is all just some game to you isn't it? Playing house with my son. This is real life Brooke!"

"You and I both know this isn't about me being irresponsible" Brooke sighed, realizing that this had nothing to do with the presents. This was about Karen.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, Karen if you hadn't lost your baby then I have feeling you wouldn't be here trying to do everything for mine. I'm sorrier than you'll ever know that you lost that baby Karen, I am. I hurt every day for you, but I cant sit back and watch you do everything for _my_ baby. The things I'm supposed to be doing with her. I'm sorry if that's selfish but I have to be her mother. I have to be the one who kisses her goodnight and gives her, her baths and plays with her."

"Brooke, like you said she's 3 days old. She's not going to remember any of this" Karen tried one last attempt to try and regain what responsibility she had had around the house for the past few days. She'd enjoyed it so much, taking care of a baby again. Part of her selfishly hoped that Brooke would just decide that being a mother was too hard and just let Karen do it for a while.

"But I will remember. Karen I had to steal her out of your arms just to spend some time with her"

"Fine! Maybe I should just go"

"Karen" Brooke sighed not totally sure what to say. On one hand, she could fight for her to stay, tell her that she could again have control of everything having to do with Romy and that she was sorry. But on the other hand, she could just let her leave.

"No, clearly you have this under control. I'm sure you know how to change a diaper and burp her and do everything else that needs to be done"

"You don't have to go, I just need some time with my baby"

"You'll learn what time is alright. Wait a few days, when Lucas is at class, and you haven't slept in days! She's screaming and the laundry needs to be done and the dishes are piling up on the sink! See how much time you have to spend with her then." Karen mumbled, giving Brooke a look.

"Maybe, but Karen this is the life I chose, and now I've got to deal with it my own way and learn from my own mistakes"

"Fine, just _don't_ call me when those mistakes get too much to handle"

By the time Lucas got home, the house was almost dark and completely silent. He wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. The fact that he didn't hear his mother franticly trying to get everything done or Romy screaming at the top of her lungs kind of worried him. After setting down his books and a few things he had picked up on the way home, Lucas top toed into the bedroom where he found Brooke trying to sew with Romy asleep on her chest.

"Spoiled already" Lucas yawned plopping down on the bed beside his girlfriend and his baby. She was so tiny, laying there asleep on Brooke's chest, sucking away at the pacifier he and Brooke had both sworn they wouldn't use.

"So I've figured out how to keep her from crying, but it may mean us not putting her down until she's like 18 and she's definitely going to need braces"

"She'll probably need braces anyway. Where's my mom?"

"Ok before I tell you this, remember who just had your baby"

"Brooke" Lucas sighed raising his eyebrows at her. He made a promise to himself that no matter what she'd done he wouldn't be mad, or at least wouldn't let _her know _he was mad.

"I kind of went off on her and she left. But it totally wasn't my fault! She was freaking about how I was irresponsible and whatever just because I wouldn't let her feed Romy."

"Uh huh"

"Are you mad?" Brooke asked in her sweetest 'I love you Lucas' voice.

"If she asks, definitely. We had this whole huge fight about it. But you have no idea how glad I am she's gone. I didn't think I was ever going to have you two to myself"

"Could I have slapped you in this fight?"

"Sure, we both know you're good at that" Lucas laughed, making Brooke giggle a little.

"Huge fight it was then"

"How many dresses are you making her?"

"A lot, and they're all in pink and purple" Brooke smiled. She was going to make sure she had the best dressed baby in Chapel Hill. And as soon as Romy could fit into baby Juicy, she'd have that too.

"Speaking of pink, I brought Romy a present"

"I'm scared to ask"

"Come on" Lucas whispered taking the baby from Brooke so she could get up.

"Pink paint! Aww Lucas!" Brooke whispered, again feeling the full effect of her crazy out of whack hormones.

"Your moms not always like this"

"We can paint it tonight!"

"What?" Lucas asked, caught off guard by Brooke's last sentence.

"Then tomorrow I can exchange all the stuff from her bedroom"

"Tonight? Where's she going to sleep?"

"Lucas, you realize she's sleeping with us for like the next 5 years right?" Brooke asked, completely serious. It only took Lucas a minute to realize that she was right. Neither of them was going to have the strength to put her in a bedroom, much less a bed by herself.

"What about sex?"

"That's what naps are for, now show me those painting mussels Broody"

"I knew I shouldn't have bought the paint tonight"

**Just as a little note. I know last chapter I said there was going to be a sequel... well. I started writing it, and decided against it... at least for now. I'm just kind of tired of writing Brooke and Lucas TOGETHER. I mean when you start a story with them already together, the only drama left is either A) Have her get pregnant... or B) make them fight and break up. And since I REALLY dont want to go the way of B, and I've done A like a million times, I've started a new story. It's gonna take place about where the show is now, Pucas together and everything... sad, yes I know. But I am really feeling the need to screw with Pucas and make their relationship nothing but BS. haha The story WILL of course be Brucas . I think you all know me well enough to know that I will not make you suffer through that nasty thing that is Leyton. But I think its time I had a story that focused on WHY Lucas keeps coming back to Brooke, and why its BROOKE that he loves. So, even though you may have to bare through the Leyton being together for a few chapters of it... it'll play off! Its so much more fun to screw with Pucas in a new story and have Brucas have to work to get together. Its just that much more re-warding when the fabulous thing that is Brooke and Lucas previel and Peyton is left there alone. So I hope you all will give it a try when I finish this one. It will, as always be a pretty fabulous Brooke and Lucas love story... It'll be posted after I finish this one :)**


	23. Chapter 22

Ok. Here's 22. lol. Writing is getting extremely difficult I'm not gonna lie. No Brooke and Lucas on the show is killing me, and then of course there is time... My friend Abbey (Some of you might read her fics (SN is BLlove3) and those of you who dont, SHOULD! Anyway she was here for like 9 days and we got NO writing done whatsoever. It was pretty sad haha. Anyway maybe I will get back on schudeule now. AT least I hope I will! Anyway! Thanks for the reviews! And you guys should all check out Abbey's story! Its an awesome Brucas fic! Please R&R! 

Lucas Scott had always imagined having a perfect life. He would go to a great college, get a great job as a writer, marry the perfect girl and have the perfect children. Maybe it was because of his life, living as basically an only child, with just his mom forever. Lucas had always wanted that stereotypical husband, wife, 2.5 kids, a station wagon and a dog family he'd always seen in movies.

So far, he'd achieved finding the perfect girl, who he wasn't exactly married, or even engaged to yet. He had the perfect baby girl, whom given he loved more than life its self, screamed unless she was in him or Brooke's arms. He went to a great college, which he had to pay for. He had an Ok job, reading other people's writing and had no time to write his own material. He and Brooke both had great cars, neither of which were quite big enough or practical when it came to the requirements of a baby and as of right then, then didn't have a dog.

But at the end of the day, when Lucas Scott came home to his girlfriend and his daughter, he was happy. His girlfriend on the other hand, was struggling to get by.

"Please sweetie, stop crying. Mommy has to put you down for a second so she can figure out how to load the damn dishwasher so you have clean bottles. Please, Romy I'll do anything" Brooke said practically begging the tiny screaming baby. She didn't know what else to do. Unless Romy was being held, she screamed bloody murder and as much as she wished she could, Brooke couldn't do everything one handed.

"Ok, baby I will make you a deal. If you stop crying long enough to let me load the dishwasher I will buy you a pony. You want a pony right? Or a puppy or a shot of Vodka? I miss Vodka"

"Hey Brooke, whoa this place looks like a tornado hit it"

"Peyton, thank god you're here can you help me for a second?" Brooke practically begged her friend. She hated asking for help, especially from Peyton but at this point she wasn't sure she had a choice.

"Sure"

"Ok so I need to load the dishwasher and Romy screams unless she's being held and I cant exactly load it and hold her"

"You need me to hold her for a sec?" Peyton asked, starting to see what Brooke was getting at. She didn't mind holding Romy. In fact, she actually kind of enjoyed it. Especially when Brooke was asleep and it was just her and Lucas with Romy sometimes. Sure, this didn't happen often, but when it did it was great.

"Actually I was kind of wondering if you could load? She screams unless it's me or Lucas"

"Sure"

"Thank you" Brooke sighed plopping down on the couch with Romy while Peyton started on the dishes. The place did look like a tornado had hit it. There were still un-opened baby presents lying around.

"You look exhausted"

"She eats every 4 hours, and even with Lucas feeding her at night, she's still crying unless she's laying over one of our hearts and its impossible to sleep with a baby on your chest"

"You don't have her in a crib?" Peyton asked, kind of shocked that Brooke and Lucas were still sleeping with the baby. She figured with it being them and all, they'd already be rocking the bedpost by now.

"You're kidding right? She wouldn't have lungs left to scream, besides Lucas and I miss her when she's not with us"

"Uh huh, well the good news is it looks like you've lost a lot of the baby weight"

"3 weeks of not having time to eat. It does wonders" Brooke half laughed. But it was good to hear that she was loosing the weight. It hadn't been as easy as she thought it would and she wanted to make sure she had her figure back before she started classes in a month.

"How are Rachel and Haley?"

"Rachel should pop any second and of course Haley's super mom and wife. That place is spotless as usual, Nathan has a home cooked dinner when he gets home, clean clothes, the whole 9 yards"

"Lucas doesn't have all of that?" Peyton asked sarcastically, looking around the apartment laughing.

"Lucas gets to come home and do all of that. He knew what he was getting into with me"

"How are you?"

"Me? I'm fine" Brooke lied. At least she thought she did. She actually wasn't really sure how she was. She didn't have time to think about her anymore.

"Brooke, don't lie to me"

"I'm, tired. I didn't think it would be this hard. I love her so much, but sometimes when she's crying and I've got laundry to do and have to get to the store and I've got 4 dresses to make and everything starts to pile up, it sucks, you know? I just didn't think I'd be 18 and still locking myself in the bathroom to cry every night. I figured I'd be out drinking and cleaning up my own puke, not a baby's"

"What about Lucas?" Peyton asked, figuring now was the time to get some much needed information about Lucas and how he was handling the new role of playing daddy.

"He loves every second of it. He gets home in the afternoons and the first thing he does after kissing me is take Romy and read to her or play with her. I was so worried about her being a girl and how he'd do with her. I mean can you imagine Nathan with a girl?"

"No"

"But I mean Lucas is the one who painted her bedroom in a night, and completely re-did everything for her. Pink might I add." Brooke giggled shaking her head. She'd always known Lucas was good with the ladies, but never imagined he'd be Mr. Popular with the under 1 month crowd.

"What about you? I mean you don't play or read with her?"

"Its different. I mean, I cuddle with her and kiss her and talk to her. She's my baby... But I still have these moments where I'm like, what do I say to her? You know? She's 3 weeks old. And I'll just sit there and stare at her, completely clueless. That's usually when I lock myself in the bathroom"

"That's always fun" Peyton said, getting a little worried about Brooke as she talked. She hadn't realized how hard on her this actually was, or what kind of a toll all of this was actually taking on her.

"I know right? How crazy is this? I mean in my junior career test, top 3 things on my list _not _to be. Dentist, Teacher, stay at home mom"

"Its worth it though, right? I mean there's got to be something that keeps you from just giving up and walking out"

"Lucas obviously, and then there's little things. Like yesterday I had her on the floor and I was blowing on her stomach, she likes that. And she smiled. I mean like really smiled. I didn't even know baby's could smile" Brooke said, them realized maybe she'd gotten too mushy for Peyton's taste. But she couldn't help it, it was the little things like that with Romy that got her through the day.

"And the fact you don't want to be Dan or Nikki or your mother"

"And that"

"You wouldn't be right? I mean like them?" Peyton asked her friend, completely serious but she'd never get to hear an answer.

"Hey Brooke, woah what happened?" Haley asked swinging open the door to the apartment, Sammy in one hand and a basket of what looked like cupcakes in the other.

"My dryer threw up?"

"Aww, Romy don't you ever stop crying?"

"Wow, Sammy's out" Brooke sighed wishing more than anything Romy would just sleep like that.

"He's always out"

"Look at your cousin Romy, sleep…"

"I'm sure if you just laid her in her carrier she'd get tired and sleep" Haley suggested, but Brooke knew that was easier said than done. She'd tried it, everyday for the past 3 weeks, and everyday for that 30 minutes she left Romy in the carrier screaming, she sat on the couch and cried with her.

"Or she'd scream for an hour and make me feel like the worst mother ever"

"Or that"

"Ok Brooke, well the dishwasher's running, I'm gonna go" Peyton said, deciding she should probably get out of there before she ended up cleaning the whole place up.

"Thanks Peyton"

"No problem, call me if you need anything"

"So, I hate to bother you, but I was wondering if you'd finished the outfit you said you'd make Sammie for his Christening next week" Haley asked, trying to make it as sweet sounding as possible. Brooke just sat there, trying to hide the fact that she hadn't even started it yet, or the other 5 dresses she had due by next week. So, for her own sake and Haley's she decided to lie and promised herself she would get it all finished tonight when Lucas got home.

"Almost"

"Brooke, if you cant I can just go buy one"

"No, no I can. I've just got to do a few last finishing touches to it and it'll be fine" Brooke smiled. Truthfully she couldn't even remember what kind of fabric Haley had picked out for the outfit, much less how she'd wanted it to look.

"You're sure?"

"Of course"

"Great! Ok well Sammy and I are going to the store now, I'm fixing Nathan a baked ham with green beans, stuffed potato's, corn bread and a cheesecake for dessert" Haley smiled, meanwhile Brooke was just trying to remember if she'd even eaten lunch today.

"Have fun with that"

Meanwhile Lucas walked towards history, only to be caught up with by Alyssa. He'd really been trying to avoid her and her friends ever since Romy had been born, just because the temptation of basketball was just too strong. Sure, Nathan was already out playing with them again on Saturdays, but Lucas still felt guilty leaving Brooke anymore then he had too.

"Hey you" Alyssa said, walking beside him to history.

"Hey"

"So when are you gonna start playing basketball with us again?"

"When I start sleeping again" Lucas sighed, not really able to come up with a better excuse than that. He wasn't sure there was one.

"That bad?"

"No, Romy just doesn't believe in sleep"

"How's that going anyway? Playing daddy" Alyssa laughed, like it was some kind of a joke. "Playing daddy". Lucas was pretty sure it wasn't "play" when there were actually baby's, medical bills, and sleepless nights involved.

"Its great"

"When do I get to see this little bundle of joy anyway?"

"Whenever, I can't promise you'll still have your hearing when you leave though" Lucas laughed. He could still hear ringing of Romy's crying in his head.

"What about tonight after class? Would Brooke be ok with that?"

"Are you kidding me? Its her joy in life right now to dress up Romy and show her off"

Brooke sat at home, on her couch franticly trying to finish up Sammy's outfit one handed, meanwhile Romy laid across her other arm screaming. The apartment was an even bigger wreck now, if that was even possible, and Brooke was now learning how hard it was to actually sew with tears fogging your eyes. It wasn't until she noticed the water and soapsuds leaking onto the kitchen floor that Brooke completely lost it. It didn't help that all the towels were in the washing machine, soaking wet.

At this point Brooke started to wonder if it was ever going to get easier, because she knew good and well she wasn't going to be able to take much more of this. It had been hard enough when she was pregnant, trying to keep everything looking descent, but now having to take care of a baby on top of that was about to kill her. What burned even more was when Lucas would come home and tell her what a good job she was doing. She knew he was lying to make her feel better. She wondered what he'd think if he knew she'd spend ½ her day today cr She knew he was lying to make her feel better. She wondered what he'd think if he knew she'd spend ½ her day today crying along with Romy, just because she didn't know what else to do.

It was at that moment, as Lucas opened the door to the apartment. Brooke looked down at her wet floor, and her crying little girl, and her messy apartment and decided she couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey, I'm home… what the?" Lucas asked, stepping into a huge puddle of water, as he walked into the kitchen.

"Looks like the dishwasher went haywire"

"Brooke?"

"Your home, and great, you brought a friend" Brooke sighed grabbing her jacket as she walked towards the door. She had to get out of there before she really lost it. Especially now that Lucas had decided to bring what's her face over. She'd let them play house for a while.

"What happened?"

"Take her"

"Brooke, where are you going?" Lucas asked taking the crying baby from Brooke. But Brooke didn't really have it in her to answer.

"Out"

After driving a little ways, Brooke stopped at a park about 10 minutes from the apartment and cried by herself in the car for a little while. How could she have been so stupid? Thinking she'd actually be able to have a baby. Everyone always told her it didn't matter what she did as a parent, as long as she loved her child. But right now, Brooke was pretty sure her love for her baby wasn't keeping her apartment clean or her dishwasher from spazzing out or getting her dresses finished. It wasn't even helping her keep Romy from crying.

For the first time in a long time, Brooke just wished she had a normal life. Normal friends who weren't all having babies, normal Saturday nights filled with drinking and partying, anything than what she had now.

After getting out of the car and deciding to take a little walk through the park once she'd calmed down some, she started feeling a little guilty about everything she'd been thinking about in the car. The thoughts running through her mind were probably the same kinds that had been running through Dan's, and Nikki's right before they had left. By the time Brooke found a picnic table near the swing set in the park, the guilt had hit full force and watching all the mothers push their kids on the swing set was really starting to make her miss her Romy.

"So is this a usual thing for her?" Alyssa asked as Lucas dressed Romy in her winter clothes the best he knew how. Dressing the baby was definitely Brooke's area of expertise.

"I knew she was stressed out"

"Clearly, where are you going?"

"To go find her" Lucas laughed; kind of shocked Alyssa would even ask such a stupid question. Of course he was going to find her. Knowing Brooke she was probably off crying somewhere and needed someone to talk too.

"Why? Won't she come back? I mean shouldn't you give her, her space?"

"Would you want to come back to this?"

"What makes you come back?" Alyssa asked, stopping Lucas in his tracks.

"She does"

After calling Peyton to recap on the days events, and ask if she had any idea where Brooke might have gone, Lucas tried all the places he knew Brooke might want to go. First there was the shopping, but he guessed if she was really upset, she probably wasn't in a shopping mood. Then there was ice cream, but then it was like 30 degrees outside. It wasn't until Lucas saw Brooke's car parked, that he knew where she was.

"Hey pretty girl" Lucas whispered sitting down on the picnic table next to Brooke.

"Hey"

"So, its like 10 degrees out here"

"Its not that bad" Brooke lied. She was actually pretty sure she couldn't feel her toes anymore.

"Peyton thought you'd run off to Maui"

"Nope, just the park"

"The park's good" Lucas sighed, deciding to wait and let Brooke talk when she was ready. Until then he'd play her game of random conversation.

"I'm so sorry" Brooke finally said, looking at Lucas for the first time since he'd gotten there.

"For what?"

"Just leaving like that, god I'm like the worst person ever"

"No you're not, come here" Lucas almost laughed, not realizing Brooke was going to be this upset just because she walked out. She'd walked out plenty of times before, claiming she was never coming back and he'd have to find a new girlfriend. But this time, it was different. She seemed so sorry, for something so little and that worried him.

"I'm so sorry"

"What happened?"

"She's been screaming since 10:30 this morning, she wouldn't even stop when I held her and we had no clean clothes or dishes or food for that matter. I didn't even have time to take a shower. Then people kept coming over talking about how everything looked so bad and asking why she wouldn't stop crying and, I'm not good at this like you guys are" Brooke sobbed, as Lucas tried to make out what she was saying.

"What?"

"You and Haley and Nathan, you can do all these things at once and keep the place clean. I mean Haley keeps it clean and does all the laundry, takes care of a baby and still has Nathan dinner ready when he gets home. I can't even load the damn dishwasher Lucas"

"I don't need that stuff Brooke, if I did I'd be with Haley" Lucas laughed, but Brooke still didn't find it funny. She couldn't understand why she was having such a hard time with this, and no one else seemed to be.

"I begged her to stop crying. I rocked her and fed her and changed her and patted her back. Then the dishwasher went all crazy on me, which made her scream even more, and then you got home and… I wouldn't ever really leave; I just had to get out of there. Luke you know I'd never leave right?"

"I know"

"I'm so sorry, I'm the worst mother ever" Brooke sobbed harder, she wasn't even sure what she was saying anymore she was crying so hard. But she had to admit, it did make her feel better.

"Brooke, you left for 30 minutes because you needed a break. I don't think that makes you the worst mother ever"

"The worst part is, I got here and realized I'd never actually left Romy, so I sat here and cried about that. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing" Lucas laughed. He really didn't find this that funny, but at the same time seeing how much Brooke had matured just having this conversation made him laugh. He never would have imagined that his girlfriend who hadn't wanted a baby in the first place would be so worried about her parenting skills.

"I didn't think it would be this hard. I didn't think I'd worry about her so much, or even care for that matter. You brought her right?"

"She's in the car with Alyssa, screaming at the top of her lungs"

"Thank god" Brooke sighed, so thankful that Romy was too young to ever remember this.

"Babe, I can't make this any easier on you if you don't tell me when you're stressed. Promise you'll talk to me from now on? Preferably before we have to have one of our famous conversations in artic weather?"

"I promise"

"And promise me you wont turn into Haley on me, I enjoy our dirty place and I've had you're cooking. I like out take out" Lucas laughed, this time finally making Brooke smile a little.

"I'm just so scared I'm going to screw this up"

"Brooke, you're not going to screw this up. So what if Haley has the whole place clean and everything in order. While she's spent 4 hours a day doing that, leaving her baby in a crib. Brooke you've already learned what every single cry Romy has means. You're there for her every second she needs you. That's all that matters and I'm so proud of you. But you've got to take some time to yourself and rest or your going to run yourself down and start hating this. And Brooke Davis, I know good and well by the way you look at our baby, you love her too much for that"

"I really, really love her and I just don't want to end up like my mom" Brooke sighed realizing that was her worst nightmare.

"I know, and that's why you've got to take a break every once in a while ok? It doesn't matter when or where. You call me and I'll be there as soon as I can, ok?"

"Ok"

"I love you, you know that?" Lucas smiled, kissing his girlfriends forehead.

"I love you too"


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23. Good number huh? Only 2 more left for Shake! I hope you guys enjoy them! I'm working hard on my new one! I think you guys are REALLY going to like it. Especially with the way the show is going right now!! Please R&R!

Peyton Sawyer wasn't sure how or why it had happened. It hadn't really even happened that much or that often. Just when she was lonely and needed to be with someone, even if it was all a lie. She'd never imagined herself being with Mouth, at least not in that way. But then she'd never imagined a lot of things that were happening now. It had only happened 3 times, and neither of them had thought much of it. Peyton wasn't _in love_ with Mouth and Mouth wasn't _in love_ with Peyton. They were just there when the other one needed them. Because of this, neither one had told anyone and rarely even thought about it except when it was happening. At least, that was until Peyton Sawyer realized she was late.

As the next couple weeks passed by, things got much easier for Brooke and Lucas. Romy was a good 6 weeks old now, and luckily for Brooke and Lucas, she was actually sleeping some. And with Lucas now on Christmas break until January, Brooke had actually had a chance to organize the apartment a little better, and catch up on her clothes. Even better than that, she'd lost a lot of her baby weight, making her feel a lot better in general. With Christmas only a few days away now, that left only one thing to do in the mind of Brooke Davis, and that was shop.

"Hey P. Sawyer" Brooke said as Peyton made her way into the apartment without knocking. Brooke wasn't sure when she and Peyton had become friends again. She wasn't even sure if they really had ever officially stopped fighting, but it had been nice lately having her around.

"Hey, wow this place looks clean for once"

"I know! Amazing right? Romy and I were just going to finish up some last minute Christmas shopping, wanna come?"

"Brooke, haven't you shopped enough?" Peyton laughed, knowing good and well Brooke had done nothing but shop the past couple weeks. Ever since Romy's pediatrician had said it was safe to take Romy out in public, that's all she'd done.

"Well Haley and I are helping Rachel since she _still_ hasn't popped that baby out yet"

"How many weeks is she now?"

"Almost 40" Brooke sighed feeling so bad for her. Brooke couldn't imagine still being pregnant, especially since technically she still could have been.

"Poor thing"

"Tell me about it, anyway wanna come?"

"Actually, I was wondering if Lucas was here. I've, um got this final due in English and I wanted him to proof read it" Peyton lied. Actually she just really wanted to talk to him. He was always great at making her feel better when it came to a crisis and as far as she was concerned being as late as she was, was a serious crisis.

"Nope, he's out being one of _those_ boyfriends, trying to find me some super secret Christmas present, and eating lunch with his mom"

"That's sweet, what did you get him?"

"You'll see" Brooke giggled raising her eyebrows at Peyton. Ok, so technically she hadn't gotten the actual present yet, but that's what today was for and with the help of Peyton and Haley she'd make sure she couldn't go wrong.

Lucas had decided since Brooke was going to shop all day, to spend the day with his mom catching up. He really hadn't had a chance to talk to her lately, being so busy with Brooke and Romy. So today, the whole day was dedicated to finding out what had been going on in his moms life, and telling her all about his.

"So, how are things? I feel like I haven't talked to you in a while" Karen sighed as they sat eating their lunch. She really missed having her Lucas at home with her. Things were so lonely now when she got home from a long day at the café to an empty house.

"Great. Hard, but great"

"How about Brooke?"

"She's dealing. Haley and Peyton claim they worry about her but I think she's going to be fine" Lucas said, having complete faith in his girlfriend. Sure, sometimes he wasn't sure their 6-week-old baby should be wearing onesies that said "Got Booty?" on them. But what could he say. It was Brooke's world and they were just living in it.

"How do you know?"

"I just, I see the way she looks when she's holding Romy or playing with her. She just looks _really_ happy. She's always smiling when she's with her and talking to her. You can say a lot of things about Brooke Davis, but her being a bad mother is not one of them surprisingly"

"I know she enjoys that little baby so much. I called the other day to check in and she talked to me for an hour about how the doctor had told you guys Romy has ahead of babies her age"

"Yea, she takes after me" Lucas sighed stretching his arms back proudly. Karen couldn't help but roll her eyes at her son. He was so clueless sometimes.

"Are you kidding? You had me so worried! You didn't even walk until you were 1 and ½! And didn't talk until you were almost 3!"

"Yea yea"

"I miss babies" Karen sighed. She'd come to terms with loosing her own baby, but that hadn't made seeing Brooke and Lucas with Romy any easier. She wanted so much to have a family again. To have someone who needed her, the way Lucas had at one time.

"Well you get to spend the whole next week with Romy. That is if you can pry her away from Brooke"

"And you! Don't think Brooke doesn't tell me stories about you and Romy too. I recall her telling me last week how you came home with these pink baby Uggs for her"

"The girl needed warm feet" Lucas said, not able to come up with anything better than that. Still, he was never going to admit he spoiled Romy just as bad as Brooke did.

"Uh huh, and what about the day you wouldn't leave her with Peyton for the day so you and Brooke could get some work done?"

"You know how Peyton is! She might have drugged her or something. Besides, I can work just fine with my daughter at home with me where I know she's safe. Thanks"

"It's been lonely at home without you. I even miss Brooke" Karen smiled; figuring Lucas would get a kick out of that last comment. But she really did miss them. Both of them. Her life just wasn't the same not having people to worry about. Kids to support and care for everyday.

"I know"

"So, here it goes. Lucas I've looked into adoption"

Brooke, Haley, and Peyton (Who had ultimately decided to go shopping to keep her mind off of things) strolled through the crowded mall trying to force their way to Victoria's Secret. For the life of them, Haley and Peyton couldn't figure out what Brooke was possibly going to find for Lucas in there. And neither of them really wanted to know for that matter. But of course, shopping with Brooke, they weren't that lucky.

"Brooke, what is that?" Haley asked pointing out the hot pink "skirt" Brooke was carrying around through Victoria's Secret. Although the more she looked at the pink material, the more she wondered if it was even a skirt, or clothing at all for that matter.

"Isn't it cute?"

"Its… barely there"

"So? Its not like it will stay on long anyway" Brooke giggled picturing her perfect Christmas eve. It seemed like it had been forever since she and Lucas had had actual fun sex, so on top of the fabulous present she'd gotten him, she'd also planned the perfect night.

"Are you really going to wear that?"

"Why not, oh the matching hat!"

"It's a pink Santa hat" Peyton said, trying to keep a straight face. She could only imagine Brooke prancing around in the pink Santa hat, matching skirt and jeweled bra. Ok well it wasn't actually that hard to imagine. After all she was Brooke Davis, but she did have some twisted ideas for a Christmas present for Lucas.

"I can't believe you're buying that with Romy here"

"Hey, she knows how she was made"

"You poor thing" Haley sighed smiling down at the sleeping baby in the pink stroller. She was already beginning to imagine how Romy was going to turn out, even at only 6 weeks old.

"Well at least the thong's right" Peyton laughed pointing out the words "Ho ho ho" printed on the crotch.

"You guys suck! Don't you ever have any fun?"

"Fun, lets see. Christmas Eve I'll be dealing with my parents, Nathan's parents, my sisters and brothers, a whining probably drunk husband and a screaming baby. Hey, isn't Karen here? How's that going to work?"

"Um, she sleeps on the couch and we shut the bedroom door" Brooke laughed, a little surprised that Haley still didn't know them well enough to know that they didn't care who was there when they had sex.

"And Lucas is ok with that?"

"Its sex, with me. He comes in and I'm in this, he wont know the meaning of the word no"

The next couple days went buy almost too fast for Brooke to keep up. She spent her days finishing up last minute Christmas things, dresses that had to be out by new years and listening to Karen lecture her about how she should learn to cook, things like that that made her want to pull her hair out. But her nights were the best. After Karen had gone to sleep and it was just her and Lucas, lying in bed with Romy, just talking and laughing about their life together and their plans for Christmas. Brooke hadn't been this excited about Christmas in a long time. Usually her Christmas break was spent alone, in an empty house watching Christmas specials and wishing her life were anything but what it was. She didn't even ever get a normal Christmas morning like most kids, since her parents always sent the presents late and they didn't get there until 2 or 3 days later. But this year, Brooke actually had something to look forward too. She had Lucas, and Romy who she was most excited for. Brooke was determined to never let Romy experience the kind of Christmas's she had, no matter what it took.

"So what do you usually do on Christmas?" Brooke whispered to Lucas, as she lay in his arms, tracing the curves of his chest with her fingertips. She loved it a night when he would tell her stories about when he was little and how much fun he'd had growing up. But sometimes it made her feel guilty. Like she was the one who'd taken all that away from him that first night at blue post. She told herself over and over that if she had known all she knew now back then, she would have taken things so much slower.

"Well, I'd wake up, open presents, eat this huge meal my moms cooked, then Haley would usually come over and play with all my presents, then we'd watch A Christmas Carol and drink hot chocolate…"

"Aww"

"How about you?" Lucas asked, kissing her forehead. It wasn't until after he'd asked that he realized that probably hadn't been the best question. He knew Brooke's childhood hadn't been great, and he hated that for her.

"No, it'll ruin your happy memories. From now on I'm going to live vicariously through your childhood"

"Or, we could just make our own memories. You have me and Romy now, and we've got it all planned out to make sure you have a great Christmas"

"You and Romy have it all planned out" Brooke laughed rolling her eyes at Lucas. He was so funny sometimes, and he didn't even know it. But those were the times she loved him more than he'd ever know.

"Uh huh"

"Now I'm scared. Lets do something fun. It's our first Christmas Eve and it needs to be memorable"

"You mean like go watch specials and drink hot chocolate?" Lucas asked knowing that that definitely _wasn't_ what Brooke meant.

"I was thinking more along the lines of, Romy in her own bed, eggnog and sex?"

"I think that's memorable enough"

"Nite baby, if you love mommy and daddy at all you'll sleep all night and let us have nice Christmas Eve sex" Brooke cooed at her baby, then kissed her good night.

"Brooke"

"What? I'm not against begging. Ok you take her, I've got a surprise for you"

"Really?" Lucas sighed, doing the squinting thing he always did when he was thinking too hard.

"Uh huh"

As soon as Brooke was sure Lucas was down the hallway, she crept into their closet where she'd hidden her bag of new lingerie. She knew he was going to laugh at her, but that was the best part. She knew as well as he did that too much seriousness in a relationship could kill it and so it was always fun to throw in something crazy every once in a while. Especially now, since she and Lucas hadn't had any time for fun together lately. Just as Brooke was slipping on her hat, she heard the door slide open and met Lucas in the bedroom. Only, it wasn't Lucas.

"Ah! Karen!" Brooke shrieked, not believing what was happening.

"Um, Brooke incase your parents never explained… Santa's old and fat, and a guy"

"Yea, I got that thanks"

"Rachel called. She's at the hospital, she had the baby" Karen said, getting over her laughter long enough to tell Brooke the real reason why she was in there.

"What?"

"We probably need to go"

"Woah, ok, so Brooke I did explain to you I was against 3-somes with my mom right?" Lucas asked, looking extremely confused as he walked into the bedroom.

"Lucas!"

"Hey, I'm kidding. You look cute"

"That's my phone, I better go see if she's ok" Brooke sighed hearing her phone go off on her nightstand. She was really worried about Rachel. She hadn't talked to her in days, and had no idea how she was feeling about everything now.

"Who?"

"Rachel had the baby"

"You go, we'll meet you down there as soon as we get Romy dressed and stuff" Karen promised, giving Brooke the Ok to go be with her friend.

"Ok, thanks"

"So…"

"We probably should have mentioned to her something about changing" Karen sighed as she and Lucas listened to the front door open and close.

"She'll just bring some holiday cheer to all those guys in the maternity ward with fat wives"

"Lucas!"

"What? Mom, she's hot" Lucas laughed, knowing he was hitting a nerve with his mom. Although he knew he had a point, Brooke was definitely going to be getting some looks.

"I hope she at least took her coat"

It wasn't until Brooke was getting out of her car in the hospital parking lot and almost tripped over a rock in her red heels that she realized what exactly she was wearing. She almost went straight back home and changed, but decided she should go see how Rachel was doing first. So after throwing on the only jacket she had in her car, Brooke made her way up to the maternity floor (Not before getting a few long stares) and found Rachel's room.

"Hey Rach" She whispered as she slowly opened the door to find Rachel lying in bed. Her eyes were swollen, obviously from crying but she did get a smile on her face once she saw Brooke.

"Um, wow. Brooke. You're the spitting image of Santa clause. Fat ass and all"

"Rachel, why didn't you call me?"

"I didn't really want anyone here" Rachel said in what Brooke was sure was probably the saddest she'd ever heard her friend.

"So you did it all by yourself?"

"It was better that way. He's so tiny"

"And way cuter than Naley's baby" Brooke smiled leaning over to see the little baby wrapped in a blue blanket. It hit Brooke just then, how hard this must have been for Rachel. When she had had Romy, Lucas had been her godsend, taking care of her every second she needed him. And then afterwards, having him there while they spent their first couple hours with Romy, Brooke wasn't sure she would have been able to do it alone.

"I wish I could keep him"

"Rachel, you can keep him. Honey, he's _your _baby"

"No I cant Brooke. It's not fair to him. He didn't ask for this anymore than I did. I'd just end up like my parents with him" Brooke could see now why Rachel's eyes were so swollen as she spoke. Clearly she'd been in here holding her baby for god only knew how long, agonizing over what to do. The whole thing broke Brooke's heart, she tried to think of anything to say to make Rachel feel better.

"Rachel, I thought the same thing but"

"No Brooke. I see you and Lucas with Romy. She's your whole world and that's great. She should be, but you were ready for that. You have Lucas and together you guys are going to be so good to her. I can't do that with him. I can't give him all the attention and time you guys give Romy"

"So what are you going to do?" Brooke sighed, deciding it wasn't fair for her to argue with Rachel about this. It wasn't her decision, and no matter what she said, Rachel had clearly made up her mind. How? Brooke wasn't sure, she knew she would have never been strong enough to have given up Romy. Not after she saw her and held her. It was _her_ baby. And here Rachel was, probably making the smartest and most selfless decision of her life, just because she loved her baby so much.

"I'm going to give him to someone who can, but I need your help"

Brooke spent the next hour talking to Rachel. She hadn't realized how much effort Rachel had put into this adoption idea, so much so that she'd even gotten the papers and had them ready to go. Now, she just had to find someone to take her baby.

Brooke met Lucas, Karen, Haley, Nathan, and Peyton in the hallway when they all got there, and then sent Karen in to see Rachel while she explained to everyone else what was happening, and explained that they should all probably just head home and come back in the morning when things might be easier for Rachel. So Nathan and Haley took little Sammy and headed back home, and Peyton went downstairs to take care of some business of her own. That just left Brooke and Lucas in the lobby with Romy, stuck waiting.

"I had to explain to Romy on the way here that you weren't Santa Clause" Lucas laughed handing Brooke the baby while the waited. Brooke really didn't find the comment amusing, but that was ok. She'd seen this coming and had her own plan.

"That's funny! I was just explaining to her why we were never having sex again!"

"Brooke"

"Oh, see Romy. Cranky. That's what happens to boys when you say no. They start to beg, and at this point you can get whatever you want out of them" Brooke smiled looking down at her bright eyed baby. She knew they were really going to be in trouble when those green eyes actually understood what she and Lucas were talking about one day.

"You look cute"

"And the best part is, I bought it with your money"

"Ouch, hey I thought it was _our _money" Lucas said remembering back to their "money" conversation/fight they'd had a few weeks ago.

"Whatever, you made more than he this month, so it's yours"

"How's Rachel doing?"

"She's really upset" Brooke sighed looking down at Romy. She didn't blame her. Brooke couldn't even comprehend not having Romy at this point, and just the thought of some other family raising her baby gave her chills. Especially now that she and Lucas had grown to love Romy so much and become so used to her being around. She wasn't sure she could really remember life before her baby girl.

"I bet, I mean could you imagine giving Romy up?"

"No, but maybe Rachel's just stronger than we were"

"Do you ever regret it?" Lucas asked, always kind of wondering if Brooke did. He knew he didn't, but he also wasn't the one sacrificing everything the way Brooke was.

"Not for a second. I just hate it for Rachel. I mean its like she's getting screwed over with the whole thing. She stayed pregnant for almost 10 months and now she isn't going to get to see him smile for the first time, or play with him or just rock him to sleep at night. I hate that she's getting gypped of all the stuff that we get to do with Romy"

"It doesn't seem fair does it?"

"But then on the other hand. She's getting to live her life, and someone else is getting a baby that they really want"

Karen opened the door to Rachel's room quietly and walked over to her bedside. It was so hard for Karen to believe that now Brooke, Haley, and Rachel all were mothers at the age of 18. She just wasn't sure where they'd gone wrong raising them and her heart broke for each one of them. She didn't know Rachel very well, but she knew from what Brooke had told her that she'd had a really hard time through out the whole pregnancy and was having a really hard time now with actually having a baby. So Karen thought she'd talk to her, and see if any advice she had could help.

"Hey Rachel, how are you feeling?" Karen smiled, making Rachel finally look up from the baby. It took everything Rachel had to do what she did next, but after a few seconds to calm down, and a deep breath she smiled at her baby and handed him over to Karen.

"Here"

"He's cute"

"Just promise you'll take good care of him" Rachel cried, completely breaking down. She'd promised herself she wouldn't cry, but she couldn't help it. She hadn't thought she'd get this attached this soon.

"What?"

"And promise you'll tell him, that I only did this because I really do love him"

"Rachel, what are you talking about?" Karen asked, completely confused about what the Rachel was saying to her.

"Karen. I know you lost your baby, and I know I'm not ready to raise one. He deserves to be with someone who wants him as much as you do"

"Rachel, I cant"

"Please Karen. I know you'll take care of him. I don't want him to go to some stranger" Rachel begged. She knew she wouldn't be able to do this if she couldn't give him to someone she knew would be good to him. And he knew she _had _to do this. For both her sake and her baby's.

"Are you sure?"

"I've already signed the papers. Please"

Karen sat there for a few minutes and thought hard about what she was being asked to do. It wasn't that she didn't want the baby, because she did. Now that Rachel had offered, she wanted him more than anything. But deep down she had a sense of guilt, of taking someone else's baby. It took Karen a minute to realize why Rachel was doing this and to see how much Rachel wanted her baby in a good home. So after, another few minutes of thinking, Karen finally came to a decision.

"Under one condition. I want you in this life Rachel. Christmas, Easter, we want you there. And every birthday, he's yours for the day. And you name him."

"I'm not asking for all that stuff"

"I know your not, but I also know how hard this must be for you, and I know that if I had been strong enough to give Lucas up, that's how I would have wanted it. It'll be better for both of you" Karen whispered, reassuring Rachel that it was ok.

"Ok"

"And Rachel? Thank you so much" Karen finally smiled, feeling tears come to her own eyes.

Peyton had decided to go downstairs to the ER while she was here, and finally get it over with. She'd been putting it off all day, the fact that she might be pregnant. And this seemed like the perfect time to find out. So, after waiting a little while in chairs, the nurse brought her back and did a quick blood test. The wait for the results didn't seem too bad. Peyton had a lot on her mind, and so her head took over with thoughts. What would be do if she were pregnant? Would she tell Mouth? Would she even keep it? What would Lucas say? Would be be disappointed it wasn't his? Would he offer to help out? Her mind was flooded with these thoughts, and she didn't even know if she was pregnant yet. She knew it could ruin her whole life, but on the other hand, if Lucas were willing to help. It could also work in her favor. Just as Peyton was planning out her future with a baby and possibly Lucas, the nurse came in carrying a chart.

"Miss Sawyer, your test came back. It turns out you're… not pregnant"


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24! Only 1 left! Thanks so much for the reviews! We hit 600!!! Pretty amazing... I love you guys!!

Lucas was sitting on the couch getting Romy dressed for the day when he heard the door swing open. Every time it happened he swore to himself they were going to start locking their doors. But as always, it was just Peyton. Just like in Tree Hill, none of their friends bothered knocking, which made things like privacy pretty hard to come by.

"Hey" Peyton sighed, slamming the door behind her. As usual she wasn't really sure why she was there, other than maybe to make a few smart-ass comments to Brooke and see how Lucas was doing.

"Hey Peyton"

"Where's Brooke?"

"Getting ready for class" Lucas muttered, a little pre-occupied by the complicated buttons on Romy's outfit. This bothered Peyton. Lucas seemed so distant lately when she talked to him. Like he was never really paying complete attention to her and she hated it.

"Right, today's the big day. How's she taking it?"

"Well, I had to watch her model all the possible clothes she could wear today for 3 hours last night, then again this morning"

"That's sucks. Sorry. Hi Romy, you're getting big!" Peyton smiled, deciding to talk about something that maybe would catch Lucas's interest. Lately the only subjects on that list were Romy and Brooke, so as much as it pained Peyton. She went for it.

"We're spending quality time together this morning"

"Doing?"

"Basketball" Lucas yawned flipping the TV to ESPN. He'd given up on the complicated buttons on Romy's outfit and decided they'd just skip that part and head straight for ESPN. Since Brooke was going to be gone all morning he didn't really know what else to do.

"Poor kid"

"Lucas…" Brooke whined from the bedroom. Peyton couldn't help but laugh. Lucas had definitely caught himself a needy one that was for sure.

"Not again… yea babe?"

"Do I look fat in this?"

"You don't look fat in anything" Lucas smiled giving Brooke a quick sweet kiss on the forehead. He'd lost count how many times he'd said that line to Brooke since last night. It was really weird, he couldn't actually remember a time when she'd ever asked him that question before now.

"Wait, are you going to class or a strip tease?"

"Peyton! Lucas…"

"You look cute" Lucas promised, shooting a glare towards Peyton's direction. Peyton didn't know which was worse. The fact that Brooke did actually look pretty good in the tank top, or the fact that she'd done something to piss Lucas off. Either way, this day was already off to a bad start.

"Yea, um I was kidding. Its totally acceptable to wear tight tank tops like that in January"

"I'm so nervous"

"Don't me. You're gonna be great. I love you" Lucas smiled trying to comfort Brooke. He wasn't sure when the last time he'd seen her this nervous was. It wasn't like Brooke. Not the Brooke he knew at least. She was usually so confident and sure of everything.

"Love you too. Ok, are you sure you're going to be ok with Romy"

"Brooke"

"She can be demanding when she wants to be and sometimes she just needs her mommy and if I'm not here, it could get ugly" Brooke sighed running out of excuses. She'd never left Romy this long and she hated it. Not to mention Peyton was there, and she hated leaving them alone.

"Brooke"

"I'm gonna miss her"

"What if, we meet you for lunch?" Lucas asked deciding that maybe that would make the day a little easier on Brooke.

"Romy too?"

"No, I was actually thinking about leaving her in the car… Yes, Romy too"

"K. Wish me luck" Brooke sighed deciding she was just going to have to get this over with. So after giving Lucas and Romy both a kiss bye and almost completely ignoring Peyton, Brooke grabbed her bag and left.

"Wow, Brooke Davis nervous"

"She'll be fine"

"I can't believe you let her out of the house in that shirt" Peyton laughed rolling her eyes at Lucas. Some of the things that Lucas just rolled with when it came to Brooke really surprised Peyton sometimes.

"Believe me, that was conservative compared to the other ones. I mean she's Brooke. That's the only way she knows how to make am impression"

"So, are you worried?"

"About what?" Lucas asked, but already knew where this was going. He wasn't stupid, he knew exactly what Peyton was doing there.

"Brooke Davis, college guys. I mean as much as I pick on her, Brooke Davis is sexy Luke. Guys look at her"

"I realize this Peyton, I was one of those guys"

"So?" Peyton asked, waiting for an answer.

"So, I trust her. You know she's actually a lot more mature than you and Haley give her credit for. She needs this. For the past 8 weeks she's been home alone with a baby and only hanging out with people with babies"

"You think she'll tell people about Romy"

"I hope not" Lucas said honestly as he looked down at his daughter. He had no doubt in his mind Brooke loved Romy, and she was Brooke's whole world. But that was exactly what worried him. He wanted more than anything for her to have a life outside of being someone's mom. She needed that.

"What?"

"It'll just make things harder on her. Besides, we both decided to keep school at school and home and home. Its easier on both of us that way"

"So you mean to tell me none of your friends there know about Romy?" Peyton smirked, knowing that wasn't true. Lucas Scott was the exact cliché of a proud father with his daughter. He carried the pictures, and smiled when he talked about her. Peyton would have actually found it kind of cute if it wasn't him and Brooke's baby he was talking about.

"Are you kidding me? I carry pictures in my wallet"

"You're pathetic. So you're really not worried?"

"Of course not. But just in case, I got her this" Lucas said, leaving Peyton with Romy for a second to go into the other room.

It wasn't until a few seconds later when Lucas came back into the room that Peyton Sawyer actually hated Brooke. As Lucas pulled out a small box and then flipped it open to reveal an elegant ring, for a split second she pretended he was proposing to her. None of it had seemed real to her until then. Brooke and Lucas had always been just dating. And sure, they'd had a baby, but a lot of people had babies and didn't stay together. Karen and Dan for example. But a ring, them being engaged, that actually meant something. Something real. It meant that after he gave her that ring things got so much more complicated, for everyone.

Brooke walked into her first class completely full of confidence. After throwing up once, she was pretty sure she was ready now. I mean how hard could this be? She'd had to deal with much harder things in her life than a stupid intro to college class; she'd had a baby at 18 for god sake. Not to mention she was extremely good at reading people and she was very sociable, so this class should be a breeze for her. This thought hadn't even finished crossing through Brooke's mind when a voice interrupted.

"You're late"

"Its 9:32?"

"Class starts promptly at 9:30" A tall, stern looking man standing in front of a chalkboard said, staring Brooke right in the eyes.

"Right, sorry"

"Take a seat"

"Don't worry about it, I got here at 9:31 and he wasn't happy. Wait, Brooke Davis?" The man sitting beside Brooke asked, his mouth almost dropping to the floor. Brooke stared back at the chestnut brown hair and blue eyes. How did this guy know who she was? Sure, she was Brooke Davis and she was known for her killer impressions she made with guys, at least before Lucas. But this was different, normally these impressions weren't made with guys who looked like they should be in law school.

"Do I know you?"

"Come on Brooke or should I say Penny, Justin Henry? We used to play together at all those stupid parties our parents would throw together until we were like 14"

"Oh my god! I didn't even recognize you. You look so" Brooke started but she couldn't finish her sentence. Shock had taken over her body. Justin Henry. Of course, it had all come back to her now. She couldn't believe it, this was the guy she'd gotten in so much trouble with from the time she was 5 until she was 14.

"Classy?"

"Um sure. I cant believe you still call me Penny"

"Well, since both of you insist on continuing to interrupt my class. I guess I'll let you both go first. Mr. Henry is it?" Both Brooke and Justin were caught off guard by the teachers comment. Neither of them had been paying any attention what so ever to what he was saying.

"Yes Sir" Justin smiled, clearly a little embarrassed. Brooke guessed he wasn't the usual talk during class kind of bad boy.

"Would you care to tell us the most life altering event in your life, so we may analyze you?"

"Walking into this class?"

"A comedian. We'll move on to… Miss Davis?" The professor sighed, clearly thoroughly annoyed by the both of them.

Brooke thought for a second. It wasn't that the question was hard, she knew hands down what the most life-altering event in her life had been. Of course it was getting pregnant. She just wasn't sure she was ready to share that with the rest of the class. She didn't want to spend the rest of her college career known as 'that girl with the baby' or 'that girl who got pregnant in high school'. Especially with Justin there. So deciding to take Lucas's advice about keeping home at home, and making a mental note to apologize Romy later for being such a terrible mother, Brooke decided for her own sake, just to be normal for once.

"Um, probably graduating" Brooke smiled, realizing this was probably the most lame answer that anyone could ever come up with.

"Explain"

"What?"

"Give me a reason it was so life altering. Leaving home, missing your parents, breaking up with a boyfriend?" The professor asked, giving the most cliché reasons. It was making this very hard on Brooke. While the rest of the class might by the whole leaving home, missing your parents lines, Brooke had a feeling Justin wouldn't. So she came up with the easiest answer possible.

"Sure, the boyfriend one"

"Well that's what this class is for. You'll learn here that no matter how bad it seems, leaving home, breaking up with a boyfriend. None of it matters. I'm here to help you through that. Miss Davis for starters. Are you from a small town?"

"Tree Hill" Brooke sighed wishing he hadn't picked her to be picked on for the rest of the class.

"Perfect, well then let me tell you. Breaking up with this boy and leaving that town will be the best thing that's ever happened to you. You'll grow here, and if you'd stayed with him. If any of you had stayed with your high school sweet hearts, you'll learn you just grow apart from them and learn that it was best in the first place"

Brooke found it a little funny that this man was standing there, explaining to her how "breaking up" with Lucas had been the best thing for her. Especially when he was actually at home waiting for her, along with their baby. But for now, she'd let him think he was right and just smile and agree.

Peyton gasped, her mouth still practically on the floor. The ring definitely wasn't small like Peyton had expected, it wasn't huge or gaudy either, but it definitely wasn't small. That had been the one little bit of hope left before Lucas had opened the box. That maybe the ring would be small and Brooke would refuse it. But clearly, all hope was lost now.

"Lucas, its… how can you afford that?" Peyton asked, hoping he'd tell her something like he'd spent all their money on it or, that he'd stolen it. Something stupid that he'd end up regretting later.

"Brooke likes vintage right?"

"What?"

"It was my grandmothers. My mom gave it to me when Brooke got pregnant and told me I could use it if I wanted" Lucas smiled. Peyton could tell that he was clearly proud of this ring. Then again she could see why. It was an elegant ring, simple with just a single Princess cut diamond in the middle. For another split second, Peyton was caught off guard, staring into space imagining how it would look on her finger, only to remember that it wasn't going to be her finger.

"Why now?"

"Her birthday's coming up and since her last one kind of sucked, I wanted to make this one special. She's been through a lot this year"

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Peyton asked as one last desperate attempt to make him re think this. Sadly, she knew it was over when she watched him looked down at Romy and smile.

"I wouldn't be showing it to you if I wasn't. I just think its time, I mean she's everything to me Peyton"

"Then why'd you wait so long?"

"It just never seemed like the right time. I mean we were in high school, and she was pregnant and I didn't want her to think that was the only reason. But I just don't want to wait any longer" Lucas said, hoping Peyton understood. He knew she wasn't thrilled with this, in fact he could tell by the look on her face that she wanted to kill him. Which was exactly why he'd told her first. Brooke's birthday wasn't for another month and so this way Peyton had 4 weeks to get whatever issues she had out of her system and move on.

"When did you decide?"

"This morning"

"What?" Peyton asked, stunned a little by this response. But soon regretted letting him know it. She knew what was coming next. The long, almost gag worthy speech about how she was the one.

"I don't know, I mean I know it sounds crazy but I came out of the bathroom from taking a shower, and I saw her laying there with Romy and it just kind of clicked, ya know? Why should we wait any longer? She's the one. I knew a long time ago that she was the one I wanted beside he when all my dreams came true and she has been. Now I want to make her dreams come true"

"Lucas, I'm pregnant"

Class finally ended and Brooke couldn't have been any happier. Somehow she'd imagined classes here would be a lot more fun than high school. She'd definitely been wrong. An entire hour listening to a teacher whine about how their lives were going to be so different now. She wasn't sure she could listen to all that whining 3 days a week. Maybe the next class would be better. At least she hoped it would. At least now that Justin was out she'd have a chance to talk and tell him all about her life now. About Lucas and Romy, somewhere where a whole class wasn't waiting to judge her.

"So, Penny Davis" Justin smiled, catching up with Brooke as they walked.

"You know, you can call me Brooke since we aren't 5 anymore"

"What? Never, you'll always be Penny to me. Shall we?"

"If I have too, I do have 45 minutes before my next class" Brooke sighed, realizing she had nothing better to do. Plus she really wanted to catch up with Justin, or as she used to call him "Tommy". They'd had a thing when they were younger about calling the other one by their middle name's nick name. Making them Penny and Tommy.

"Glad to hear it, so tell me about your life. No wait, let me guess. When I last saw you, you were running wild with that girl Peyton whispering about getting boobs and making out with Nathan Scott"

"Yea, so? I believe you were going through a star trek phase"

"It's all passed. Anyway, judging from how you were when I left you. You were on your way to being knocked up before you graduated, probably by Nathan Scott and" Justin laughed but Brooke broke in.

"Lucas"

"What?"

"Nothing" Brooke sighed deciding to change the subject. As much as she'd been looking forward to telling him all about Lucas and Romy, suddenly it didn't seem as rewarding. When she thought or talked about her life, it thrilled her. Just the fact that she'd found someone she was really in love with, and that truly loved her back. And that in her opinion, she had the most precious baby girl ever. She loved her life so much that she sometimes forgot that other people didn't see it as glamorous. All someone like Justin would see was that she'd gotten 'knocked up' at 17 by a guy who had to work for everything he had.

"Anyway, and becoming some kind of interior decorator"

"Fashion designer actually"

"Ok well I was close. So seriously though, a fashion designer? I bet the parents loved that one" Justin laughed. Brooke knew Justin had probably done everything his parents had told him to his entire life. That he was probably pretty high on the social scale and going to "go places". At least that's what her parents used to tell her. _"Marry someone with class Brooke, someone with the same status as us" _She could remember hearing that same speech her entire life, and because of this, it had taken her a long time to realize that whoever she was with didn't have to be rich or good looking as long as she loved them. It hadn't been until she met Lucas that she'd realized any of this. After all, the only reason she'd gone out with him in the first place was because he was hott and she wanted to sleep with him. She'd never imagined in a million years that she'd actually be completely in love with the guy, much less have his baby.

"Yep, well you know my parents. What about you?"

Peyton wasn't sure why she'd lied to Lucas. After all, she _wasn't_ pregnant. She'd known for 2 weeks that she wasn't. But it was just something about listening to Lucas go on and on about how Brooke was "the one" that made her ache. She'd had to say something, anything to make him tear his attention away from Brooke and focus on her for once. Maybe Lucas wasn't in love with her like he was with Brooke, but she did know one thing for sure. He was always her hero when she needed him. Even when he was with Brooke, he'd risked his life to go save her in the school during the shooting, and she knew that he'd be there for her now.

"Peyton, I" Lucas couldn't really come up with words. He had to admit he was pretty shocked. Peyton didn't really seem like the kind of person to go sleep around and get pregnant. And as far as he knew she wasn't dating anyone. The only comforting thing about the news was the fact that he knew it wasn't his.

"I wasn't going to tell you"

"Who— ."

"Just some guy. I told him and he said he didn't want anything to do with me or the baby" Peyton sighed, feeling a little guilty. She hadn't meant for it to go this far. It had all just kind of come out. And he knew she couldn't say it was Mouth's, so for now the random guy was going to have to work.

"I'm sorry"

"I didn't know how to tell you, or anyone. I just, I don't know what to do"

"Peyton, you know I'll be there for you" Lucas sighed, giving Peyton a sad look. He still couldn't believe it. He'd really thought she was smarter than that. After seeing everything that he and Brooke had gone through, and Rachel and Nathan and Haley, it just seemed like she would have gotten the picture.

"Lucas, you cant. You have a life and Brooke and Romy"

"That doesn't mean I can't help out. We're friends Peyton. Brooke and I will both be there for you"

"Please don't tell Brooke yet" Peyton said quickly, realizing that Lucas had started adding Brooke to this. She might could get away with lying to Lucas about it, but not Brooke. Brooke wasn't stupid and would probably suspect something.

"Why?"

"I just, we're finally friends again and I don't want her to think I'm some kind of a slut"

"Peyton, she isn't going" Lucas started but Peyton cut him off.

"Lucas, please. I just, I don't want to worry her"

"I wont say anything"

Brooke wait and waited at Chili's for Lucas and Romy for 30 minutes. She'd tried his cell phone, and the apartment phone but so far no luck. It was really starting to worry her. This wasn't like Lucas to be late, after all she was the one who was always late for stuff and made him wait.

By the time Lucas made it to the table, Brooke was sitting there tapping her fingers on the coaster, clearly annoyed. He felt really bad about being late, but he'd gotten so caught up talking to Peyton about her situation that he had completely lost track of time.

"Lucas! You had me worried! You're 30 minutes late" Brooke snapped stealing Romy from Lucas's arms. She hadn't meant to be mean, but she'd seriously had her worried. She planned to completely apologize and kiss him, at least until he uttered his next sentence.

"Sorry, I got caught up with Peyton and"

"With Peyton"

"Brooke" Lucas sighed realizing he probably shouldn't have mentioned Peyton had still been there. Especially since he had promised he wouldn't say anything about it to Brooke.

"Just friends, got it"

"Brooke"

"I missed you too. Romy, your daddy is so needy" Brooke sighed deciding to just let it go. She knew nothing happened anyway; she was just edgy because they'd been late.

"We were just talking"

"Lucas, I believe you, calm down. I'm just stressed about all these classes and I missed you guys"

"We missed you too" Lucas smiled, giving Brooke a sweet kiss before finally sitting down in their booth for lunch.

After a quick lunch, Brooke took Romy and it was Lucas's turn to go to class. Except he couldn't really concentrate. This whole Peyton thing had really thrown him for a loop. This meant that the 4 girls he'd been close to in high school had somehow managed to get pregnant before they turned 19. With Nathan and Haley it had seemed ok, after all they were married. And sure, it had been bad with Rachel, but it had all worked out for the best. Then there was him and Brooke, and that was completely different. It was his Brooke and his baby and at the end of the day, it just seemed right. But with Peyton, she had nothing going for her. She wasn't really _that_ great of friends with Haley or Rachel, she and Brooke were still on pretty shaky terms, and according to her, whoever the father was was just some random guy. He couldn't see the good in it anywhere, no matter how hard he tried.

After leaving Lucas, Brooke decided to take Romy to Rachel's and discuss the crazy events of the day with her. It was out of the way a little, but Brooke didn't mind the drive as long as there was no traffic. Once she got there, they had their usual whining fest about how boys were mean, life was hard, talked about all the newest clothes the other one had bought and then sat on the couch and watched Oprah out of cheer boredom.

"See baby? Hott guy, Ugly guy. Worth sleeping with, not work sleeping with" Brooke smiled waving a makeshift toy in front of Romy for her to play with.

"Brooke? What are you doing?"

"I'm teaching her important life lessons"

"With the cartoon from boy from Dora the Explorer?" Rachel laughed rolling her eyes at Brooke. Friends or not, sometimes Rachel didn't understand that girl, and she really didn't care to try too.

"We have to start slow Rachel. She's only 8 weeks old. Besides, when she brings home her first boyfriend I want him to be good looking"

"I don't think it matters how good looking he is. Lucas is going to kick his ass"

"True, but still. I have to start these things early to keep her from turning out like, well you" Brooke smirked waiting for Rachel's reaction. Unfortunately, Rachel hadn't really been up to playing their usual bitch fest game.

"Oh thanks a lot"

"Then again, if she brought home a hott uncle cooper, I'd be ok with that"

"You'd let her date him?" Rachel laughed. She didn't doubt it. Lucas and Romy were both in for a long road ahead with Brooke. Especially when Romy got older.

"What? No. I'd sleep with him"

"You are a terrible mother"

"She'll thank me for this one day" Brooke said, trying to look as serious as possible.

"So, how was life in the real world today?"

"Crazy. I ran into this guy I used to be friends with like 5 years ago"

"At school?" Rachel asked. She knew this was going to be an interesting conversation, and probably a fun one. She could already tell by the way Brooke was looking at Romy and not her that she was hiding something.

"Yea, he's in one of my classes. Our parents were really good friends"

"Sounds, dull"

"He's really nice actually. He's going to be a lawyer and swears a coat and collared shirt to class" Brooke laughed. She guessed that was nice at least. Collared shirts and coats weren't really her idea of sexy, but hey.

"He's probably bad in bed too"

"Hey, not everyone can be as good as Lucas"

"So what did Lucas say when you told him?" Rachel asked, figuring this was when things would get interesting. The whole time she'd known Brooke, Brooke hadn't ad a guy friend that wasn't a mutual friend of her and Lucas. Normally Rachel wouldn't have put any thought into this, seeing as lots of people meet up with their old friends and talk. But the fact that Brooke and driven an hour to come talk to her about this guy proved to Rachel that Brooke definitely had some guilt. About what, Rachel wasn't really sure. But she planned on finding out.

"What?"

"You didn't tell him?"

"There's nothing to say. He's just a friend, I hadn't seen the guy since I was 14 until today" Brooke said trying to catch a break. It wasn't like she'd had all day to talk to Lucas, she'd seen him for a whole 30 minutes for lunch and that was it. Sure, she'd avoided mentioning Justin when Lucas had asked her how class was, but that was just because she didn't feel like explaining.

"Its just, since you've been dating Lucas, have you ever had any guy friends… and don't say Mouth or Nathan"

"Not really?"

"So, he'll probably freak out" Rachel smiled, actually finding this kind of amusing. Brooke Davis, the queen of no lying was here admitting that she was flat out doing it.

"What? Lucas doesn't freak out"

"Fine. Better question. What did your friend say when you told him about Lucas and Romy"

"Um, I didn't" Brooke said kind of cringing. Jackpot. Rachel understood it all now. Brooke wasn't feeling guilty about talking to another guy. She was feeling guilty that she'd lied to another guy about having a boyfriend and a baby. It all made perfect sense to Rachel now.

"Ah ha! I knew it"

"Knew what?"

"Have you ever slept with this guy?" Rachel asked, deciding to make things a little more interesting.

"Did you not hear the part where I said I hadn't seen him since I was 14?"

"Again I ask, have you ever slept with this guy?"

"I wasn't that big of a slut Rachel" Brooke sighed ready to give up. Clearly she should have never brought this up with Rachel.

"And how do you think little Romy here would feel if she knew you were off pretending she didn't exist" Rachel whispered, cooing at the baby Brooke was holding in her arms.

"It's not like that. I just can't be like Haley and go to school and flaunt the fact that I was stupid and got pregnant at 17. I love my baby Rachel but I cant go around being that girl"

"I know you love your baby Brooke. And I know you love Lucas. Let me ask you this. Has Lucas ever lied about you being his girlfriend? I mean because he sure didn't lie to me about it when I met him, and he wasn't even dating you then. I know its hard being that girl. But don't you think it's hard on Lucas being that guy? But he does it everyday. You can't have the best of both worlds Brooke"

"But Lucas told me to do it" Brooke felt pathetic using that as her excuse. She knew the only reason Lucas had said that was because he knew how many issues she had with it. Why was this so hard for her? It wasn't like she was ashamed that she'd had Romy. But, Brooke knew things would have been a lot different if it were just she and Lucas. Before, she had no problem telling everyone that she had a boyfriend. But there was just something about throwing that "and a baby" part in there that was hard for her. She knew the looks she used to give people who had babies in high school. The things she used to whisper and say about them. She hated thinking like this. It all got worse when she looked down at Romy. It wasn't Romy's fault she'd been stuck with a crappy mother who couldn't even admit to people she had a baby.

"So? Do you think he'd listen if you'd told him the same thing?"

"No"

"You and Lucas have a good thing going Brooke. I just don't want to see things get messed up for you guys" Rachel said, deciding to be nice. She could tell by the look on Brooke's face and the way she was looking at Romy she had some serious guilt going on.

"I hate it when you're right. Ok? I'll tell him, stop giving me that look. Its not like I'm doing anything wrong"

"Coming from the girl who hates lying?"

"I'm not lying. I'm just not filling him in. But I will tell him. Both of them ok?" Brooke wasn't sure if she was promising Rachel this or Romy. Either way she swore she'd so it

"Good! Ok Romy, you've had your first lesson on how to make your mommy feel guilty. See the key to it is, take something that's not a big deal and whine about it. Then, if she doesn't argue with you about it, she doesn't care. But when she gets defensive about it, then she's hiding something. I hope you listened well"

"I really don't like you, you know that?"

Lucas sat in class waiting for the teacher to give them their group assignments so he could get home to Brooke. It was only the first day of this class and he already hated it. Maybe it wasn't so much the class as the fact that he'd been home with Brooke and Romy over Christmas break, and gotten to used to not having to do anything with school. He waited patiently until the professor finally got to his row and pointed out the guys who were going to be in his group.

"Ok, you, you, you and you" The professor said, pointing out Lucas, and the 3 people sitting closest to him.

"Mike Sanderson" The guy sitting beside Lucas smiled, starting a chain of introductions.

"Lucas Scott"

"Tori Barrow"

"I'm Justin, Justin Henry"


	26. Chapter 25

So here it is you guys... the end. Like I had said before, I'd planned taking this story up to 30 chapters, but after I finished this one... I decided that if I went any further, I might be killing it. So, here it is. The last chapter! I want to thank you guys SOO much for all reading and reviewing! I hope you'll do the same for my new story! It's called "A Lonely September" and it will be up in about a week. I'm really excited about it so I hope you guys will give it a try!

Now before I let you read, first I have to thank Kaela, who helped me write this ENTIRE story! With out her I probably would have died haha. And Abbey! Haha without her I probably would have quit. Thanks SOOOOO much!!

Ok. Chapter 25.

Brooke Davis rolled over in bed on her 19th birthday to find nothing beside her, expect a half empty bottle of baby formula and a pacifier that had been sticking in her back all night. Not exactly how she'd imagined her 19th birthday, but she guessed it was better than waking up in some random guy's bed. She was lucky in one aspect this year. Her birthday was on a Saturday, which meant no class for her or Lucas. No class, but what looked like an extremely busy day for Lucas and his work.

As Brooke slowly got out of bed and strolled down the hall, it struck her how clean the place was, and how good it smelled. This could have meant only 2 things, either Lucas had finally gotten off his cute, but lazy ass and cleaned or something far worse.

"Good morning birthday girl!"

Karen was there. Brooke hadn't seen Karen in a good 2 months, at least not in person. Ever since she'd had her own baby to take care of, she'd been sticking around Tree Hill. It had actually been the happiest 2 months of Brooke's life. Sure, she loved Karen, when Karen was in Tree Hill, and called once a week. But when Karen was in Chapel Hill, it made things a little more difficult for Brooke. She'd actually kind of hoped Karen wouldn't be able to make it for her birthday, of course she knew that would have been too good to come true, but still, hope couldn't hurt anything.

"Hey Karen, oh my god. What's Romy wearing?" Brooke asked as she lifted Romy out of her carrier. She couldn't even begin to imagine what had been going through Karen's mind when she had picked out this particular outfit for Romy.

"I brought her a new dress for your birthday"

"Is that a chicken on it?"

"Yea" Karen smiled, seeming pretty pleased with her choice. So Brooke decided to be nice, since it was her birthday and she was feeling pretty generous.

"That's, nice. I'm so sorry sweetie, mommy promises to pay for your therapy one day"

"Lucas said to tell you he left you a note by your purse and that he'll be home before too long. He had to run some errands with Peyton"

"Figures. Hey where's Parker?" Brooke asked, quickly changing the subject from Peyton and Lucas. They'd been spending a lot of time together lately and it was starting to bother Brooke a little. She didn't think she had a reason to be worried, but then again. She hadn't thought that the last time either. Either way, she really didn't want Karen involved.

"Rachel took him for the day. So tell me. What are you and Lucas doing tonight?"

"No idea"

"Well I'm sure it will be something fun" Karen smiled, trying to act as innocent as possible.

Brooke spent the rest of the morning with Romy looking through her birthday book. She knew Romy understanding any of what Brooke was showing her, but she still had fun doing it. It used to hurt for her to look through the book, bringing back painful memories of the birthdays before she'd had Peyton or Lucas to keep her company. The Birthdays when her day had been filled with presents and cake, but no one to share it with. But now it kind of put everything in prospective. Those birthdays were gone. Now she had a family, and friends, people to make sure she wasn't alone on her birthday. People she loved, and that loved her back. And even though she knew she could never get the bad birthday's back. She could make sure that Romy always had good ones.

It was 2:00 before Lucas finally got home. He hadn't meant to stay gone that long, especially since it was Brooke's birthday but things just seemed to keep getting in the way. First he'd had a study session with Mike, Tori and Justin, and after 2 hours of getting nothing done except listening to the 3 of thems relationship problems, Lucas finally decided to give studying up and get home. His entire study group was a little creepy, except maybe for Justin who he'd actually kind of made friends with.

Not 10 seconds after he'd finally gotten out of studying, Peyton called wondering if he could come talk. Normally Lucas would have just blown her off, but with her being pregnant and hormonal, he worried she might do something crazy if she didn't have someone to talk too. And so, after comforting Peyton for what seemed like hours and explaining he couldn't go to the doctor with her today, and then thanking god it'd been Brooke he'd fallen for and not Peyton, Lucas made a few stops to get things ready for tonight and then headed home. He was actually starting to get a little nervous about tonight. Not so much that he was getting cold feet, but more so that he was scared that she would. Lucas hadn't had a doubt in his mind that it was Brooke he wanted to be with since they'd gotten back together. But Brooke on the other hand, understandably had had a few doubts. And since marriage was kind of an un-spoken subject between the two of them, he had no idea how she was going to react.

When Lucas walked in the front door he found Brooke on the floor playing with Romy. He took a second just to watch, almost in amazement at all good his girlfriend was with their daughter. For someone who had never even held a baby before she had her own, Brooke had definitely grown into her role as a mom. She was even better with a baby than Karen and Haley in Lucas's opinion. She never talked that cheesy baby talk like Haley did saying things like "That's mwy wittle bwaby" and she wasn't too over protective like Karen was, refusing to even let Parker lay on the floor without 4 or 5 blankets covering it. Brooke was just Brooke, she treated Romy like a real person and with as much respect that she did anyone, which was something Lucas had noticed not many people did with babies. She had this amazing way of talking to Romy like she was an adult, but still with the comforting and sweet voice you would expect when talking to a baby. Lucas's best guess was that Brooke probably didn't know any better. She just did things her way and the best she knew how, which was what made her so good at it.

"Ah! My boyfriend!" Brooke shrieked finally catching a glimpse of Lucas standing in the doorway. After putting Romy in her bouncer, Brooke made her way over to Lucas and jumped into his arms. Not her usual greeting to her boyfriend, but it was her birthday and she had always wanted to do it.

"Girlfriend"

"Wow, I guess I have lost all the weight, you didn't grunt once"

"Happy Birthday" Lucas laughed, giving Brooke a quick kiss.

"Thank you. 19, I guess I can be your old lady now. So tell me, what are we doing?"

"Doing? I just figured you were tired and you'd want to stay in for the night with Romy"

"Lucas!" Brooke whined giving him her '_I'm going to hurt you'_ look. She knew he was lying and that he'd planned something. She'd overheard him and Haley whispering about it a few days ago. Now she just needed to know so she could dress accordingly.

"I'm not telling you"

"Why do you insist on torturing the woman who gave birth to your child? Need I remind you of those 14 hours of labor?"

"Because I love her and I want her to be surprised" Lucas said, claiming a fair argument. Brooke hated it when he pulled the 'I love you' card. It made arguing to get her way completely difficult.

"Just a hint?"

"Ask Romy, she knows"

"This is going to be so much easier when she can talk. Please? Pretty please! Just a hint?" Brooke begged, hoping her pitiful look would work. This was her birthday which meant she shouldn't be teased.

"Nope"

"You are a mean boyfriend. I'm going to go call one of my nice ones"

"Really? Do your nice boyfriends kiss you like this?" Lucas asked, leaning in to kiss Brooke.

"That's not fair"

"I promise, it'll be worth it"

"It better be Scott, and you better hope Romy doesn't learn to talk in the next 4 hours" Brooke muttered and then finally let him kiss her. She'd have to fine another way to get it out of him, or better yet, out of someone else.

"Go take a shower"

"You know, I'm getting old. I probably shouldn't be trusted to shower alone. Some supervision would probably be for the best, you know. So I don't fall or anything"

"Right, I mean I guess it'd be ok if I were supervising you. Just to make sure you don't fall or anything" Lucas whispered then kissed her. He had a lot too do before tonight, but he was going to have to take a shower at some point.

"Uh huh"

"Just go already before you two permanently scar this child"

After finishing their shower. Lucas left Brooke again so he could get things ready for tonight. He had everything planned out perfectly, word for word. And thanks to Peyton and Haley, he'd managed to stay almost completely calm about the whole thing. That was at least until, he went to the jewelers and found out about the ring.

Brooke spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for a dress to wear. Since it was the day before Valentines day she was going for something short, red, low cut, but classy at the same time. Lucas still hadn't said where they were going, but he had told her that it was kind of a drive so she should wear something comfortable. Brooke hadn't exactly comprehended what that meant yet, but she definitely knew she wasn't wearing sweats on her birthday. Plus a dress was much easier to get out of.

After finding her perfect red, simple, short and fabulous dress, Brooke decided to take a short cut out through the rest of the mall. Maybe she'd be able to find Lucas something for Valentines day since she hadn't had time yet. He was so hard to shop for sometimes. He had ever book ever written, he wasn't all that into movies or TV, and when it came to music she had no idea what he thought was good or bad. Lucas Scott was impossible.

"Penny Davis" The voice startled Brooke was she walked passed Bath and Body works. Of course there was no doubt in her mind who it was.

"Ah, Justin"

"Not Tommy?"

"Sounds weird now" Brooke said, kind of wishing he'd get the point and just call her Brooke like normal people. She'd been stressing it everyday in class for the past month and he still hadn't gotten the picture.

"You've got something on your neck"

"Oh, um yea I hit it in the shower?"

"Sure, so happy birthday" Justin smiled, surprising Brooke. She wasn't sure if it was sweet or creepy that he'd remembered her birthday after all these years. She knew she sure didn't remember his.

"You remembered?"

"You're the only person I know whose birthday is the day before Valentines Day"

"Right" Brooke sighed, guessing it want so creepy anymore. It just felt awkward every time she saw him now. At first it had been great. He was an old friend and catching up was fun. But now, maybe because she still hadn't told him about Lucas and Romy, there was a sense of dread and guilt every time she saw him. She hated it, because he was a nice guy, and a really good friend but it seemed like every time she saw him he made some comment that made her not want to tell him the truth even more.

"Got any plans tonight?"

"Yea, actually a friends taking me out"

"A friend?" Justin asked, eyeing the read dress. Brooke knew her cover was blown the second his eyes shifted from her face to the dress she was carrying. She guessed it was time to just explain.

"Yea"

"Hints the dress?"

"Hints the dress. What are you doing at a mall anyway? I thought you were against them or something" Brooke said, deciding changing the subject would just be easier. I mean, they were in a mall and she was short on time. It probably wasn't the time to get into her whole long history.

"Maybe buying a birthday present for you?"

"Oh. Well have fun with that"

"Is this friend a guy?" Justin asked, catching Brooke completely off guard as she started to walk off. Justin definitely wasn't as stupid as she had hoped. Then again, he never really had been.

"What?"

"Who's taking you out, is it a guy?"

"Possibly" Brooke smiled deciding to play the mysterious card.

"The guy that gave you that hickey?"

"I don't bite and tell"

"So he's got one too?" Justin laughed, making Brooke giggle a little. Justin had always had the same quick whit that she did when it came to that stuff.

"I'm going to go now"

"Wait, how long have you been seeing him?"

"A while" Brooke sighed. Here it was. She was going to have to explain everything now. Right in the middle of the mall with a bunch of old ladies power walking around them.

"Do you like him?"

"Hints the awhile line. He's a good guy"

"Ok better question. Do the parents like him?" Justin asked, clearly not aware of the fact that Brooke didn't even speak to her parents anymore. But, for drama's sake Brooke decided to go along with the whole game.

"Are you kidding me? They hate him"

"Wait, let me guess. He's, what's the word the parents used to call it? Financially average?"

"He's perfectly financially average and I love that about him" Brooke smiled, and watched Justin's mouth drop to the floor. He would have never imagined Brooke Davis with a guy who didn't have money for her to spend.

"Sounds very Princess Bride to me"

"Very, he even dresses up like a pirate for me when I ask him too"

"Well, I hope you have a good time"

"Tha-" Brooke had started to say thank you, but jumped at the sound of Lucas's phone in her pocket. Hers was lying on the kitchen cabinet dead so Lucas had given her, his while she was out incase Karen needed to call her with Romy. She looked down at the caller ID to see the words "Peyton's Mobile Calling" and clicked the ignore button. She'd have to deal with Peyton later.

"I guess you better go. I'll see you Monday at class?"

"Yea. Bye"

Brooke had barely made it to the car when Lucas's phone beeped "New Voicemail" for the 12th time. Being nosey as she was, and hoping it had something to do with what Lucas was planning, Brooke decided to be devious and listen. After all, it was her birthday. So she held down the 1 button and waited for it to call and she listened to the automatic voice.

"You have one unheard message. First unheard message. _Hey Luke, its Peyton, I just wanted to let you know how the visit went today since you couldn't make it. I went to the doctor. You'll be happy to know the baby's fine. I got your voicemail. I know it sucks, but Brooke will understand. You've had a lot to deal with. The whole thing's stressful but just remember it'll be worth it in the end. You've got to break it to her at some point. Call me back and let me know how it goes. Good luck giving Brooke the big news_"

Brooke stood there, completely motionless for a few seconds. She felt completely sick with what she'd just heard. She told herself over and over that she was hearing things wrong, and so she listened. Again and again and again until her eyes started to burn. What else could it mean other than Peyton was pregnant. And why else would Lucas be going with her to doctors appointments if it wasn't his. It was the worst feeling. Having your head tell you one thing and your heart another. In Brooke's heart, she just knew Lucas wouldn't cheat on her again. Not after everything they'd been through. But she also wasn't deaf. She'd heard the message. By now a good 20 times and it was looking pretty bad for Lucas.

Lucas couldn't believe he'd been so stupid. He'd been planning this for a month, and just 2 days ago he'd finally taken the ring to the jewelers. He hadn't ever imagined it would have taken longer than 2 days to size a ring. Part of him was contemplating not even asking Brooke tonight. Seeing that maybe it was a sign that he should wait. But the more he thought about that, the stupider it sounded. Of course he had to ask her tonight. Karen had explained that it wasn't the ring that Brooke was going to care about, but Lucas wasn't so sure. She was Brooke, and she did love her jewelry. But, after deciding that his mom was probably right. Lucas decided it was now or never. Now there was just one thing left to do.

Lucas knocked on Peyton's door, until she finally answered. She'd spent the entire day getting so wasted that she didn't even think to look who it was before she opened it. Surprisingly, standing there in front of her was Lucas.

"Peyton. What the hell are you doing? Are you drunk?" Lucas asked, spotting the bottle of rum Peyton had in her left hand. She looked like she couldn't even stand up straight if she hadn't been leaning on the door frame.

"What? No"

"You smell like a brewery"

"You smell like, Brooke" Peyton giggled leaning into Lucas. Then realized that wasn't a good thing, and muttered something to herself.

"I cant believe you're drunk Peyton! Do you know how bad that is for the baby?"

"The baby? Right, the baby. Maybe I had the baby"

"Peyton you're like 10 weeks pregnant" Lucas said, realizing she probably had no idea what she was saying. It was at this point that Lucas realized it was time for him to stop babying her. He'd done it all through high school, and told himself it was to help her. Now he wasn't so sure. Maybe he'd just been doing it for himself. So that he felt like he was making a difference. But it had to stop now.

"Right"

"What's going on with you? Give me that"

"No! I need it" Peyton whined as Lucas snatched the rum away and sat at on the table behind him. He was pretty sure Peyton was too drunk to even see straight.

"No, you don't"

"It's the end of the world. Lucas Scott is proposing to Brooke Davis. You know I tried everything to make you see I loved you Lucas. I even pretended to be supportive of you and Brooke! But I'm just not good enough am I?"

"You're way to drunk to be having this conversation" Lucas sighed helping her onto the couch. He was tired of doing this. Tired of explaining to her why he didn't love her.

"I lied"

"What?"

"I'm not pregnant. I just thought that if you thought I needed you, you'd be there. And maybe see I'm a lot easier to be around than Brooke" Peyton muttered, but clearly enough for him to understand what she was saying.

"I can't believe you'd"

"And you were still my hero"

"Not anymore" Lucas said, standing up from her side. He understood it all now. It had been one thing when she actually needed the help. But now, now she was just using him.

"What?"

"You can get yourself out of this mess. Peyton. I think you need help"

"Maybe you can get it for me" Peyton giggled. Lucas wasn't sure if he'd ever been so disappointed in someone in his life.

"Maybe you should get it for yourself. I'm not playing hero anymore Peyton. You did this to yourself, now you can get yourself out of it"

After a long car ride home, Brooke decided that she was just going to try and forget about the whole voicemail and enjoy her birthday. She'd yell at Lucas tomorrow. So she put on her new dress, curled her hair, did her make up and decided to pretend to be happy. For her own sake. Not Lucas's. Maybe she just wasn't meant to have good birthdays. By the time she was ready to go, Lucas still wasn't home so instead of going somewhere to sulk, Brooke decided to go do something that always made her happy and spend some time with her baby.

"_That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying As you wish, what he meant was, I love you...And even more amazing was the day she realized she truly loved him back._" Brooke read aloud to Romy, who was almost passed out across her chest. All the happy reading was just making her even more depressed anyway. The Princess Bride. Like a story like that could ever come true. That the story probably didn't tell you was, that Westley was probably cheating on Buttercup with one of his Pirate whore's anyway.

"Brooke, its 5:45"

"Wow already? Ok baby, mommy has to go out now" Brooke whispered kissing Romy's cheek before handing her over to Karen.

"What are you reading to her?"

"The Princess Bride"

"The poor farm boy loves the rich Princess. Sounds familiar" Karen smiled. She'd read the book to Lucas many times when he'd been little and partially blamed it for his love for Brooke.

"Usually we just skip to the _'and they lived happily ever after part'_"

"That's a good part"

"I guess" Brooke muttered wondering why fairy tales insisted on feeding children's heads with such crap. No one really lived happily ever after, at least not in the way fairy tales said. If she could write a fairytale, she was pretty sure her version of "Happily ever after" would end with the Princess hanging the pirate hooker from her curly blonde hair and making the Prince watch as Jaws swam up and ate her.

When Lucas finally got there, Brooke acted as normal as possible. She argued with Lucas about what they were doing, she playfully refused to get in the car until she told him where they were going and she even gave him his phone back, having saved the message as new. She was almost fine, until she watched as he listened to the message and put the phone down without saying anything. That's when she decided two could play at that game.

Most of the car ride was pretty silent, and it wasn't just Brooke. Lucas was going over the plans of the night over and over in his head, so much so that he didn't even realize that Brooke was sitting in the passenger seat brooding. Not to mention he still had everything that had happened with Peyton on his mind. It wasn't long before Brooke realized where they were going and she was sure of it, an hour and a half later when they passed the "Welcome to Tree Hill" sign. Brooke couldn't really figure this one out. Why was he bringing her all the way to Tree Hill to break the bad news that he was sleeping with a dirty pirate hooker to her? Maybe it was worse than she thought. Maybe Peyton had some kind of STD she'd given him, which meant Brooke had it too. Ok, so that probably wasn't the case, but it was semi amusing for Brooke to think about.

When Lucas finally pulled up into a parking spot, Brooke realized where they were. The Beach. It made Brooke wonder a little. Had Peyton brainwashed Lucas? Was she going to be the one that was fed to Jaws? Things weren't looking good. But, she followed Lucas out to the beach anyway… even holding his hand. Pretending that maybe, everything was going to be ok. Just because he'd gotten Peyton pregnant didn't mean he loved her. Maybe it was a mistake.

Lucas finally stopped and brushed Brooke's hair out of her face. It was windy out, but luckily also unseasonable warm. Pushing 70 degrees in fact.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asked, noticing the sad look on her face that Brooke had been so desperately trying to hide. This was it. She couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Lucas, I know Peyton's pregnant"

"She told you?"

"No, she left a voicemail on your phone. Which she apparently didn't know I had for the day" Brooke said. At first she'd felt a little better to get it off her chest but all that changed when she saw the look on Lucas's face. He didn't look guilty or sad or anything, which kind of pissed her off. She figured he'd at least be sorry for what he did.

"Brooke"

"Let me quote this, and see if I get it right. _Hey Luke, its Peyton, I just wanted to let you know how the visit went today since you couldn't make it. I went to the doctor. You'll be happy to know the baby's fine. I got your voicemail. I know it sucks, but Brooke will understand. You've had a lot to deal with. The whole thing's stressful but just remember it'll be worth it in the end. You've got to break it to her at some point. Call me back and let me know how it goes. Good luck giving Brooke the big news_"

"Brooke, I swear to you its not how it sounds" Lucas sighed, realizing what was going on and how bad things were looking for him right now. He knew he should have never lied to Brooke about Peyton being pregnant in the first place. But she'd been so adamant about keeping it a secret.

"Really? So Peyton's not pregnant?"

"Peyton told me she was pregnant, bu"

"Good job Dan. Looks like you've timed that one out about perfectly" Brooke yelled, having her worst fears confirmed.

"Wait, you think its mine?"

"Just so you know, I'm not an understanding person"

"I can't believe you'd even think-" Lucas started, almost as mad at Brooke as Brooke was at him. He couldn't believe she'd even think that he'd do that to her. He was so mad he'd completely forgot to tell her that Peyton wasn't pregnant. That the whole thing had been a lie.

"Lucas? What am I supposed to think? She's been at the house everyday for the past month! You two go off and whisper about god only knows what. You are such an ass. I'll understand. What the hell is she thinking? I'll understand. You might wanna check and make sure this baby isn't a crack baby"

"You'll understand that the ring isn't ready"

"What?" Brooke asked, dropping her clutch into the sand below her.

"Can you stop yelling at me for 2 seconds?"

"Why?"

"So I can ask you to marry me?" Lucas yelled basically giving up on his perfectly planned proposal. At this point he had to tell her the truth before she decided to down him in the ocean.

"What?"

"You can't just let me do anything for you the way I want you too, can you? Damn it Brooke, I love you ok? I don't know why sometimes, but I do. All I know is that when I wake up every morning, it's you I want lying beside me. Not Peyton. You. I don't know why that's so hard for you to understand."

"Its not" Brooke whispered, pretty much speechless. Of all the things she'd thought were going to happen tonight, this definitely wasn't one of them.

"Then why is it so hard for you to trust me? I wouldn't cheat on you again. She's pregnant with some random guys baby. She didn't know what to do. I told her I'd help out if she needed anything. Then she told me today it was all a lie!"

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

"She didn't want me too. Not until she's sure about what she's going to do. It doesn't even matter now. She's not pregnant! God, you are the most frustrating woman I've ever known Brooke Davis. Now can we stop arguing so I can do this the right way?" Lucas asked, getting frustrated with the whole situation.

Brooke nodded her head and just stood there. She didn't know what else to do. She didn't know whether to be happy or sad or nervous or feel guilty. At this point she was kind of feeling all of it at once as Lucas took both her hands and looked her in the eyes.

"I love you Brooke Davis, and I want you to marry me"

"Still?"

"Yes, still. Now will you be my wife?" Lucas asked, smiling a little as he brushed the stray hairs out of her face.

Brooke stood still for a second, letting a tear run down her cheek. They were standing there, in _their_ spot. Brooke thought of what to say. Of course she was going to say yes, but how? Just "yes" seemed so meaningless and boring. You say "yes" everyday to completely meaningless things. It seemed to her, that her answer should be an out of the ordinary, always remember kind of answer. So, in famous Brooke Davis style, she smiled, then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Nothing sloppy or fast. Just a slow, romantic kiss, the kind that gives you butterflies, and makes the little hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. The kind of kiss that only happens when two people, are truly in love.

"Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind. The End."

- The Princess Bride


	27. Note!

Hi everyone! The new story is up!! Enjoy!!

A Lonely September


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